After the incident where the public sector and civil society sectors have called for the PrEP dispensing to be carried out as usual in the campaign “PrEP must be accessible”, which has been more than 1 month since this incident occurred, but the story is not over yet. When 10,000 bottles of PrEP in the warehouse of the Department of Disease Control are running out. What happened? What should the public do? Or how should they prepare? Is there a possibility that PrEP will be dispensed again like before?

What Happened to Drug Distribution?

Community clinics, civil society, and public health centers have been distributing PrEP to ensure that everyone in the country has access to PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) with all rights. This is in line with expectations that the number of 10,000 bottles of PrEP in stock by the Department of Disease Control will eventually run out in just two months, based on statistics from users at both SWING clinics and the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand, which has more than 5,000 PrEP users per month. Of course, it was predicted that there would be a PrEP shortage.

Solve the problem by purchasing more?

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The additional purchasing was mentioned in a discussion in January organized by the Department of Disease Control, chaired by the Director-General of the Department of Disease Control. The procurement is underway, but it has been reported that the next delivery of PrEP will occur in July 2023 or at least in the next 5 months. This will certainly be a difficult situation when those who need access to the drug will have to stop taking it and adjust their lifestyle. High-risk groups such as service workers, substance users and youth will be the first to encounter this situation because receiving services in general medical facilities still have stigma and prejudice against these vulnerable groups.

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In the near future, two easy and convenient channels to access PrEP, such as clinics operated by the civil society sector or the BKK Pride Clinic service centers, which have just opened 16+5 centers, may be affected because the 10,000 bottles of PrEP are for all rights, whether civil servants, social security or gold card rights, can be received from these service centers.

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Another way that the government can do is Distributing the stock of medicines from the NHSO, which are for social security rights, to other agencies to distribute while waiting for the purchase of PrEP medicines that will arrive in July 2023, which should help alleviate the shortage of access to PrEP medicines.

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So how do we have to adapt during this time?

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Adaptation must be done as usual, by going back to using condoms with lubricant gel more, because during the period when PrEP medicine is not available, it means that condoms are the only equipment for sexual intercourse when penetration occurs.

You can read about safe sex here

Or avoid penetrative sex by external

And if you are at risk, don't forget to book a blood test with these channels

testBKK partner clinics

BKK Pride Clinic Public Health Service Center

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