PrEP is a game-changing preventive medication that can reduce the risk of HIV infection by more than 92 percent, if taken daily, as part of a combination HIV prevention strategy. In Vietnam, Commune Health Stations (CHSs) are the most common and proximal location for primary health care services. Given their coverage, CHSs can fill PrEP access gaps in peri-urban and rural areas. A PrEP needs assessment in mid-2020 found that key populations living and working in industrial zones in Dong Nai would prefer to access PrEP in local CHSs because they are convenient and they can receive other primary health care services if needed. A new PrEP model was initiated in October 2020, where community-based organizations (CBOs) were paired with four CHSs in Dong Nai province to support them with demand generation and referrals to PrEP services. All site staff and partner CBOs were trained, initiating continuous quality improvement teams and systems. By the end of December 2020, with the support of the CBOs, each CHS had enrolled 15 to 20 new PrEP clients, accounting for one-third of the full year target per site.

So What? To reduce HIV incidence, PrEP needs to be accessible to key populations at risk of HIV. By diversifying PrEP service options and increasing coverage of these services, Vietnam will more rapidly reach its goal to end HIV transmission by 2030.