PrEP is aimed at persons that are found or could be found at higher risk for HIV infection. If you believe you are at higher risk for HIV or if you belong to a community or a group known to have a higher HIV infection rate, you could consider taking PrEP. Following guidelines can help you decide.
PrEP may be the right option for you, if at least one of the following applies:
· you do not use condoms for every sexual intercourse and with every sexual partner
· you have had sex with more than one sexual partner over the past 6 months
· you have a sexual partner who has other sexual partners, or he is at higher risk for HIV
· you engage in unprotected sex with a person who injects drugs, or uses shared drug injecting equipment with other persons
· you are a person who injects drugs, or you use shared drug injecting equipment with other persons
· you engage in sexual intercourse under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs
· you have had a sexually transmitted infection (for example, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis or herpes) in the past 6 months
· you have a sexual partner who has recently learned that he has a sexually transmitted infection, including HIV
· you engage in sexual intercourse with an HIV positive partner who does not take antiretroviral therapy or receives antiretroviral therapy but has not yet fully suppressed the virus in the blood (he has not yet achieved undetectable viral load)
· you and your partner do not discuss the issue of HIV and you are not aware of your HIV status
Each of these risks runs greater in an environment that has a greater HIV infection rate. In Macedonia, gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men in general, are disproportionately more affected by HIV compared to the general population. Based on the most recent 2018 research, it was estimated that 1 in 20 persons in this population have HIV. Judging from the regional experiences, trans-people in Macedonian are also considered a population exposed to higher risk for HIV infection.
As part of the PrEP pilot, persons interested to receive PrEP will be subjected to a standardised assessment that will verify that PrEP is the right solution for them.