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The HERStory Series: Lessons learned from implementing a PrEP programme for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa

HERStories Series

The HERStory Series: Lessons learned from implementing a PrEP programme for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa

Summary

  • Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly efficacious for HIV prevention.
  • Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW)  are regarded as a priority population in South Africa’s National Strategic Plan (NSP) for curbing HIV, TB and STIs: 2017–2022 and they have been prioritised for PrEP delivery in South Africa.
  • Numerous sociocultural, behavioural, structural and physiological factors contribute to the disproportionate HIV risk that AGYW in South Africa face.
  • There is an urgent need for effective female-initiated HIV prevention strategies targeted at AGYW, to reduce HIV incidence among this population.
  • Participants in the study described several challenges associated with PrEP uptake, adherence and acceptability, including AGYW fears of side effects of PrEP, and AGYW preference for injectable PrEP over a daily oral tablet.
  • Our findings highlight the critical role of parental and community acceptability and support of PrEP as a key enabler in the successful PrEP demand creation, provision, uptake and adherence among South African AGYW.

View the complete Research Brief: Lessons learned from implementing a PrEP programme for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa

The South African Medical Research Council’s strategic plan includes the generation of new knowledge and its translation into policy and practice. In the Health Systems Research Unit, our research aims to inform and support decision-making in health and social policy to strengthen health systems, and therefore improve the health of South Africans. We evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of care delivery models in communities, schools, and health facilities. To ensure relevance of our research, we apply implementation science principles and approaches, and engage and partner with Departments of Health at all levels of government, as well as with communities and other stakeholders. 

As a unit, we are developing research briefs based on manuscripts that have been published. Our intention is to disseminate key research findings to a broad audience, sharing the research briefs on multiple platforms to ensure wide reach, and work towards bridging the divide between academic research and the development of policy and practice. We aim to use these research briefs as a tool to summarise the key findings of recent studies, outline the implications for policy and practice in the South African context, and provide empirically based, practical, actionable information for policy makers, programme designers and implementers, practitioners, citizens and communities.

18 August 2022