Media Statement from the Independent Community Pharmacy Association of South Africa:
“Expanding the availability and uptake of HIV Self-Screening Test Kits in Independent Community Pharmacies”
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The Independent Community Pharmacy Association South Africa (ICPA) and Population Services International South Africa (PSI) are proud to announce their partnership to enhance the accessibility of affordable HIV self-screening test kits in independent community pharmacies throughout South Africa. This collaborative effort aims to ensure that more people can test themselves in the privacy of their own homes. The campaign aims to accelerate the early detection of HIV infection, improve linkage to care and drive awareness of availability of various HIV prevention options, such Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). The campaign will run until December 2023. During this time, kits priced under R50 will be made accessible at nearly 400 independent community pharmacies across South Africa.
South Africa bears the largest burden of HIV in the world, with approximately 8.2 million people, accounting for 13.7% of the population, living with HIV according to Stats SA in 20211. Certain sub-groups, particularly younger women and men, experience a higher prevalence rate. In 2021 almost 25% of women aged 15 to 49 and were living with HIV, with prevalence rates between 39-89% among female sex workers across different geolocations according to the Lancet2.
South Africa’s health minister Dr Joe Phaahla, speaking at this year’s South African Aids Conference3 indicated that the next two years must be used to accelerate efforts to meet the 95-95-95 targets by 2025. “More effort is needed to place and retain more people with HIV on treatment. In order to achieve the 95-95-95 targets, we must initiate an additional 1.4 million people on treatment,” he said. This treatment gap is
concerning, especially considering the country’s approximately 200,000 new HIV infections each year (2019 stats). Increasing treatment coverage is vital for the health of those living with HIV and increasing testing of the hard-to-reach populations is critical to support the broader HIV prevention efforts in South Africa.
Encouraging regular self-screening is a step towards achieving this goal, and independent community pharmacies are well-positioned to promote and facilitate these screenings. They also offer a safe and trustworthy environment for counselling and confirmatory testing when required.
Pharmacists play a pivotal role, providing opportunities to offer HIV self-screening test kits alongside various services such as emergency contraceptives, family planning, wellness screenings, minor ailments, libido enhancers, HIV testing for partners, and well-baby clinics. By allowing individuals to self-screen in the privacy and safety of their homes, HIV self-screening test kits serve as invaluable tools for early detection of the virus. A reactive (positive) screening result would require a confirmatory test which can be done at the pharmacy with appropriate linkage to care.
Moreover, a negative HIV test result opens the door to accessing a range of HIV prevention options to keep these individuals HIV negative. By adhering to the South African Pharmacy Council’s Minimum Standard for the Sale of HIV Self-Screening Test Kits (SAPC BN 184 of 2017), which authorizes pharmacists to sell approved self-screening kits to individuals over 12 years of age, community pharmacies can provide a safe and supportive environment. Pharmacists are ready to offer assistance, information, and support before, during, and after the test, ensuring that customers have the necessary resources to make informed decisions about their health.
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For more information and comment please contact the ICPA media office, details below:
shanaaz@icpa.co.za | info@icpa.co.za
021 671 4473 | 076 655 4424
About ICPA
ICPA (Independent Community Pharmacy Association) is a non-profit company which provides independently owned community pharmacies with a collective strength and a coherent voice that is heard by government, medical schemes, pharmaceutical suppliers and importantly, the consumer.
ICPA represents one of the largest pools of professionals in the healthcare sector with over 1 200 pharmacies, about 3 500 pharmacists and 20 000 supportive healthcare personnel spread across metropolitan, urban and rural South Africa.
All ICPA members are committed to high-quality pharmaceutical care and to the restoration and maintenance of the health and well-being of our patients.
References:
1 chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0302/P03022021.pdf
2 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhiv/article/PIIS2352-3018(22)00201-6/fulltext
3 https://www.iol.co.za/news/sa-aids-conference-14-million-knowing-and-unknowing-south-africans-need-hiv-treatment-3883c155-478a-48e2-9a0e-74dd11bd75e2#:~:text=South%20Africa%E2%80%99s%20health%20minister%20Joe%20Phaahla%20said%20the,additional%201.4%20million%20people%20on%20treatment%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.
