ICWEA held discussions with officials from FSG, in preparation for efficient introduction of Dapivarine ring once approvals are received. Dapivirine ring is the first discreet, long acting ring HIV prevention product designed especially for women. It is a flexible silicone vaginal ring that slowly releases antiretroviral drug Dapivirine over the course of the month.
The ring is currently under regulatory review before being licensed in the countries where women face the highest rates of HIV in the world having completed the phase III clinical trial. The trials have shown that the ring reduced HIV infection by approximately 30% and in subsequent studies the percentage went up to 75% among participants who used the ring consistently.
Happy Margaret, ICWEAs Advocacy Manager says the ring is more than welcome and ICWEA cannot wait to have it approved and rolled out because it will yet again be an opportunity for widening HIV prevention methods that are controlled by women on the Market. ICWEA supports women led prevention options to reduce on the infections among women and Adolescent Girls and young women. There are already some existent prevention methods but women are not homogeneous and different options are preferred by different women, thus the need for the ring to be part of the already existent options. What is appreciated by a younger woman may be less appreciated by the older women. Rural Vs Urban.
Currently ICWEA is represented by a young woman BrendaFacy Azizuyo on Dapivirine ring Advisory committee and she brings on board the voice of young women. The board is composed of a team of 12 people and always discusses how to influence young people to use Dapivirine ring as well as Market it.
According to Brenda, the ring will be an exciting intervention for young women and it’s a great measure for Key populations and young people mainly because of it is discreet. The other motivating factor s for young people to utilize the ring will depend on how well it will be packaged, information given to them and the comfort and privacy they will experience with the ring.
ICWEA is particularly interested in ensuring that young women’s adherence to Dapivarine ring improves for better results. This is so because it will be a critical resource in bringing down the infections among Adolescent girls in the Sub Saharan region which registers high HIV infection rates among adolescent girls.
ICWEA is watching the progress of the approvals and the efficacy of the ring. Once approved, ICWEA intends to engage with the funders to find resources to avail it and our governments to ensure that guidelines are developed for the ring.
