Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican AIDS Commission CNCS) has announced the introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the National Health System.
PrEP, which will be introduced in the first quarter of 2026, is a medication taken by people who are HIV-negative to significantly reduce the risk of getting HIV through sex or drug abuse. It works by preventing the virus from establishing itself in the body if exposure occurs and is available as daily pills or long-acting injections.
According to Francisco Mbofana, CNCS chairperson, who was speaking during the celebrations of World AIDS Day, which is celebrated worldwide on 1 December, the initiative is supported by the US government and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
“This medication, which is neither a vaccine nor a treatment, will be administered twice a year and helps almost 100% of people at risk to avoid HIV infection. It is intended for adolescent girls, young women, working women and discordant couples, where only one partner has HIV”, he said.
He explained that the implementation will be phased. “We need to be patient. The conditions will be created so that the medication reaches everyone who needs it.”
The announcement of PrEP comes at a moment when the prevalence of HIV in adults aged 15 or older remains at 12.5%, with Gaza (20.4%), Zambézia (17.1%), Maputo City (16.6%) and Maputo province (15.3%) being the most affected provinces.
“In recent years, we have faced crises that affect our capacity to respond to HIV, such as storms and floods that interrupt health services and hinder the population’s access to care. Measures have been adopted to ensure therapeutic continuity, especially in rural areas. Today, people can receive medication for three, six, and even twelve months, ensuring continuity of treatment even when they are distant from health facilities”, he said.
The main ceremony commemorating World AIDS Day will take place in Maputo, with the participation of the Prime Minister, state entities, civil society partners, international organizations, and people living with HIV. During the ceremony, various people will carry out awareness-raising, testing, counseling, condom distribution, and visits to affected individuals, with special attention to orphaned and vulnerable children.
“We will have the participation of various state entities, civil society partners, international organizations, and people living with HIV, who are a fundamental part of this response”, he said.
Mbofana reinforced that combating HIV/AIDS is a collective responsibility and “our goal is that, by 2030, we can affirm that HIV is no longer a public health threat.”
The support from the US is ironic, in the light of the announcement by the American government that it will no longer mark World AIDS Day/
The state department has directed its employees and grant recipients not to use US government funds to mark the event and not to promote the day publicly.
Employees and grantees may attend events related to the commemoration. But they should “refrain from publicly promoting World Aids Day through any communication channels, including social media, media engagements, speeches or other public-facing messaging”.
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