Indian LGBTQ+ groups push to widen access to HIV prevention drug PrEP
Every morning, Neharika Ravalkar takes a pill that stops her joining the millions of Indians who are HIV-positive. As a trans woman, Ravalkar is among the groups at highest risk of HIV.
But she is among a lucky minority taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication as cost, lack of awareness and stigma all hamper access in the South Asian nation. “PrEP is like a bodyguard for me,” said Ravalkar, who primarily scrapes a living from begging in Pune, western India “I’ve been helping people in my community to take it and busting fake news about it.” PrEP – usually taken as a once-daily pill – is highly protective against HIV.
But global takeup is well below targets and remains concentrated in a relatively small number of countries, according to the U.N.
agency for HIV and AIDS. UNAIDS estimates about 38.4 million people are HIV-positive worldwide. Key populations at risk include gay men, sex workers, intravenous drug users and trans people.
