Nonprofit organisation Beyond Zero expects to register 4,600 clients for its ePharmacy services, providing free, accessible and discreet HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery to SA homes.
Its Beyond PrEP telemedicine service is available to anyone over 15 years of age in the Free State, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, prioritising the removal of barriers such as distance, time constraints and stigma.
Beyond Zero, whose flagship office is in Buffalo City Metro, is dedicated to HIV/Aids prevention, treatment and community health initiatives through innovative programmes and strategic partnerships.
Beyond PrEP was piloted in October 2024.
“This is how the ePharmacy was born, where clientele would access PrEP through a courier service that delivers medication to their doorstep,” Beyond Zero’s key populations programme manager Edward Sibanda said.
The service comes in the wake of the huge crisis in HIV/Aids health care, after the US government, under Donald Trump’s administration, cut the majority of its foreign aid programmes funded through the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Numerous NGOs and NPOs previously providing care to thousands of people have been forced to close.
Sibanda said Beyond Zero had received numerous calls to assist districts which previously received Pepfar funding.
“The current implementation arrangement is that the Global Fund [which provides financial aid for Beyond Zero] does not implement in a Pepfar district as part of ensuring donor funding equity and spreading coverage.”
Beyond Zero said the service was particularly beneficial for men who engaged in homosexual relations or transgender people who “faced challenges accessing traditional healthcare facilities” due to stigma.
“Beyond PrEP ePharmacy ensures that HIV prevention remains accessible, convenient and within reach for all who need it,” the NPO said.
Clients can register online through the Beyond PrEP website and can also visit nearby partner sites for consultations and additional support.
A 24-hour phone support line is also available.
“Some clients may want to know about guarantees to privacy and confidentiality.
“The ePharmacy is supported by an outbound call centre and a secure patient management system that ensures a fully confidential service.
“With delivery, medication will be delivered in a normal courier parcel bag and there is no information on the parcel that indicates what is in the package,” Sibanda said.
Eastern Cape Aids Council Civil Society chair Melikhaya Lusiti welcomed the news.
“Research shows that using PrEP correctly and consistently protects you from being infected by HIV, even if you don’t use a condom while having sexual intercourse, so PrEP works as an HIV prevention medication,” Lusiti said.
He said the delivery service would increase access to prevention methods for people who did not have time to visit clinics due to school, work or disability.
“Especially for adolescent and young people, thus contributing positively in having an HIV-free generation, and this will hopefully also contribute to adherence to PrEP services, as clients won’t be bound by working hours of a healthcare facility.
“We fully support this initiative, and are looking at partnering with Beyond Zero, especially for sectors like youth, men, women, sports, arts and culture, people with disabilities and so on,” he said.
Sikhander Coopoo of Gender and Sexuality Alliance Buffalo City said: “In the Eastern Cape, where healthcare access can be limited, this initiative has the potential to empower countless individuals with the tools they need to protect themselves.
“This will help reduce new HIV infections and foster healthier, more informed communities.
“The 24/7 support and seamless medication delivery model reflects a profound commitment to a holistic, person-centred approach to care.
“This ensures that individuals, especially those in marginalised communities, can take control of their sexual health without fear of stigma or logistical challenges.
“We encourage individuals to take advantage of this life-changing service and applaud Beyond Zero for prioritising dignity, accessibility and choice in the realm of HIV prevention.”
Daily Dispatch