On May 3, 2023, HOPE Philippines held the Unang Sibol: Research Dissemination Forum to showcase our project milestones and celebrate the valuable lessons we’ve learned on PrEP innovation implementation together with our partners: SAIL Clinic Calamba, FPOP Iloilo Chapter, and LoveYourself Inc.
One of the highlights of the event was the showcase of a gown designed with QR code that links to PrEP information, a collaborative PrEP innovation of SAIL Clinic Calamba and the crowdsourcing winner Gerald Farofaldane. Gerald shared his valuable insights that the fashion industry has much to learn from and offer in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He also expressed his delight in being a part of the HOPE engagement from joining the crowdsourcing contest, participating in the Pagpupunla: Hack for PrEP, and eventually collaborating with SAIL Clinic Calamba in the creation of the PrEP-inspired gown.
Another significant aspect of the event was the discussion on PrEP innovation of the three partner sites. Ms. Mona Diones from FPOP Iloilo, Dr. Kate Leyritana from SAIL Calamba, and Sir Denis Cruz from LoveYourself shared their unique experiences, challenges faced, and successful strategies employed in scaling up PrEP use in their respective communities. Key points of their discussion emphasized the value of having creative and efficient access points to PrEP that are tailored to the needs of the key populations and the importance of tapping the community as co-designers and co-implementers. All three sites also identified steps towards sustaining their pilot implementation.
We also engaged in a conversation on PrEP’s crucial role in ending AIDS with our key partners from World Health Organization Philippines and Department of Health, represented by Mr. Mark Angelo Amoroso and Mr. Roland Sardan, respectively. They both have shared updates on PrEP and invited a continued partnership for PrEP efforts in the country. Data from DOH revealed that a significant number of reported HIV/AIDS cases were among MSMs aged between 15-21 years, suggesting the need to focus on improving PrEP access among the youth in academic and non-academic settings. In line with this, DOH has set an enrollment target of 150,000 eligible clients for PrEP, and collaborations with partners and innovative interventions, like those showcased by the HOPE Philippines, were seen as crucial to achieving this goal. Despite the limited access to PrEP, the government is also actively working towards procuring additional PrEP supplies to enhance access and allocation in all regions and facilities.
Given the lessons from the pilot implementation, the forum highlighted the value of crowdsourcing and hackathons in gathering innovative ideas from diverse groups and communities and suggests the need to shift towards identifying specific innovations which can be implemented on a larger scale.