Emergency treatment for people who may have been exposed to HIV costs a massive €600, despite being only available at Mater Dei, Malta’s state hospital.

“This irresponsible approach to preventative treatment comes at the expense of avoidable HIV diagnoses, and the financial cost of a lifetime of care and treatment,” the Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM) explained in their announcement of a new HIV campaign.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a pill which reduces the risk of acquiring  HIV by over 99%, also remains unaffordable, costing €57, despite costing half the price in other countries.

Using the platform www.HIVMalta.com, MGRM has placed its focus on combating the out-dated treatment for HIV in Malta, which has been described archaic given that people are currently on a medical regimen that consists of around six different pills a day.

A single-tablet regimen is still not available in Malta, despite around 450 individuals living with the virus in Malta.

“Some of the drugs currently being administered have even, for long, been struck off from international medical guidelines (EACS and WHO),” MGRM said

While a request for proposals to introduce improved treatment was launched in February 2019, the MGRM remains in the dark over when this will be implemented

MGRM will be announcing several projects, including a new messaging campaign on dating apps, and other specific projects within different sectors of the community.

HIV Malta aims to work in tandem with other NGOs and stakeholders including PrEPingMalta, the Allied Rainbow Communities and the newly set-up Checkpoint Malta to bring this plan to fruition.

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