The PEP Working Group Meeting was the first of its kind
SSLN-i2i hosted a working group meeting in Cape Town, to discuss the updated WHO PEP guidelines, share new evidence, facilitate stakeholder exchange, develop strategies, and contribute to a PEP supplement in JIAS.
The meeting was held in Cape Town, South Africa from 3-5 June 2024.
The meeting included around 60 participants, with country stakeholders from South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, along with global and regional HIV prevention stakeholders.
The objectives of the meeting were to:
- Introduce and reflect on the updated WHO PEP guidelines
- Share and reflect on PEP user insights from recent studies
- Facilitate the exchange of experiences and strategies among PEP stakeholders from 5 SSLN countries for joint learning and problem-solving
- Develop thematic strategies and practical recommendations using insights and experiences that have been shared to strengthen the accessibility, acceptability, and availability of PEP
- Contribute ideas to the development of the PEP journal supplement in the Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS)
Recap of the agenda:
Day 1:
We set the scene on PEP from the global perspective with a presentation by Chris Obermeyer from the Global Fund, while Gloria Bille from UNAIDS ESA presented on the current use and accessibility of PEP within the region. Dr Thato Chidarikire proceeded with introducing the updated WHO PEP Guidelines.
We held a panel discussion with countries on their experiences with PEP to date. Panellists included Jane Mukami (NSDCC, Kenya), Dr Idah Moyo (MoHCC, Zimbabwe), Orapeleng Motlhaoleng (NDOH, South Africa), Maryam Sani Haske (NACA, Nigeria), and Dr Daniel Byamukama (UAC, Uganda).
New insights and evidence for PEP from three recent studies were provided by Moushira El-Sahn (R2R), Dr James Ayieko (KEMRI-UCSF), and Nonhlanhla Okesola (AHRI).
Country and author teams then grouped together to contextualise local PEP guidelines with the updated global guidelines from WHO.
Day 2:
Group discussions continued through conversation circles. During which countries discussed what the revised PEP guidelines mean for them and how to take these forward within their spheres of influence at a country level. We solutioned under the following topics:
- Naming and branding of PEP
- Delivery channels for PEP
- Linkages of PEP and PrEP
- Policy, regulation and legislative considerations
- Facilitators and barriers of PEP provision
We closed out the day by running an individual commitments session.
As SSLN-i2i, we see the value in continuing these important conversations on PEP through a virtual event for greater country conversation, commentary on the JIAS supplement, following-up with countries on their action items and with stakeholders on their individual commitments.
Resources
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