In all medical centers in Florianópolis, in UPAS emergency departments 24 hours a day or through Alô Saúde Floripa, PEP can be requested – Photo: Disclosure

Florianópolis, which stands out at the national level and is a pioneer in several actions to combat HIV and AIDS, celebrates a significant achievement in the fight against the virus and the disease. Thanks to investments in combination prevention, immediate treatment and combating prejudice, stigma and misinformation, the city has seen a more than 20% decrease in new HIV cases and a more than 26% decrease in AIDS cases over the past three years. .

According to the municipal health department, the capital is investing in various types of preventive treatment to improve outcomes. In addition to condoms, which are distributed in all health facilities in the municipal network, there is a wide supply of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV), which consists of tablets that are taken daily as a precaution. PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is carried out after exposure to the virus, preventing the reproduction and spread of HIV in the human body. Combination prevention also includes extensive and simple testing.

In all medical centers in Florianópolis, in UPAS emergency departments 24 hours a day or through Alô Saúde Floripa, PEP can be requested. Treatment is oral and carried out for 28 days.

To start PrEP, you need to make an appointment through the website: bit.ly/agendamentoprep. There are currently about 2,800 people using PrEP in the municipal health department.

The municipality is also encouraging testing and providing appropriate treatment, and is actively looking for people who have interrupted or not started treatment.

“The sooner a person finds out that he has the virus and begins treatment, the lower or even zero the chance of contracting HIV. Today we have increasingly simple and effective treatments with few or no side effects,” explains Ronaldo Zonta, family and community physician and coordinator of the Stop HIV Floripa project at the municipal health department.

“It is important to emphasize that everyone who has sex, even if they are in a committed relationship, should be tested for HIV at least every 6 to 12 months. Most often, the test is recommended for those who have new or multiple sexual partners, as well as those who do not regularly use condoms,” the doctor adds.

Campaign launches this Friday

This Friday (January 12), World AIDS Day, the Red December campaign, a national movement to prevent HIV/AIDS and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections), launches in Florianópolis. The first event will take place this Friday from 15:30 to 20:30 at Passarela Nego Quirido. The initiative will include sexual and reproductive health prevention efforts for homeless people considered vulnerable to HIV. Planned activities include rapid testing for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, diagnosis and treatment initiation, as well as PEP and PrEP.

Throughout the year, the Stop HIV Floripa project promotes other activities such as HIV and STI testing.

According to the mayor’s office, rapid tests for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C are recommended for adults and adolescents who are sexually active and should be taken at least once or twice a year. In cases of risky practices, such as sex without a condom, these tests should be performed more frequently. They are available from health centers and can be booked through Alô Saúde Floripa or through the family health team at the reference department. This can also be done at the four Testing and Rapid Response Centers (CTRr), via bit.ly/agendamentotesterapidoist or WhatsApp: CTRr Centro (48 99121 5517 or 48 99111 7102), CTRr Continente (48 99959 3242), CTRr Norte. (48 98849 4499) or CTRr Sul (48 99603 4203).

Self-testing is available at health centers, by mail or in a digital office.

In the capital, there is no excuse for refusing to self-test for HIV: the population can take an HIV self-test at home, pick it up in a digital office or at a medical center. In partnership with the A Hora é Agora project, the City Hall is facilitating public access to testing free, secure and confidential through SUS (Unified Health System). According to Ronaldo Zonta, the initiative aims to increase the number of tests and, as a result, immediate treatment of HIV in the municipality.

To request an HIV self-test by mail or receive it in your digital account, you must go to the website www.ahoraeagora.org/autoteste/, register and select one of the two available options for receiving: 1) Receive anywhere, with delivery sent by mail, in a secret box at the specified address; 2) Receive using the secret code from the digital locker located at the Rita Maria bus station.

Self-testing can also be obtained at the pharmacy of one of the Clinics or any Health Center, in addition to scheduling a day and time to take the test in person.

During the three years of collaboration with the AHA, 23,753 self-tests were distributed in Florianópolis. This initiative, along with widespread access to prevention methods and adequate and immediate treatment after diagnosis, has slowed the growth of new HIV infections in the municipality.

Residents of Florianópolis can also book self-testing for HIV through the website www.ahoraeagora.org. Tests can be received by mail, collected from the digital office located at the Rita Maria bus station or at the health center. The initiative is a partnership with the A Hora é Agora project.

If the self-test result is positive, a confirmatory test must be carried out by the health service. You can sign up for the exam at one of the Testing and Rapid Response Centers, which are open Monday to Friday from 7:00 to 16:00. To sign up, visit bit.ly/agendamentotesterapidoist or via WhatsApp:

• CTRR POLYCLINIC CENTRO – (48) 99111-7102 / 99121-5517
• CTRr POLYCLINIC CONTINENTE – (48) 99959-3242
• CTRr OF SANTO ANTONIO DE LISBOA HEALTH CENTER – (48) 98849-4499
• CTRR POLYCLINIC GUL – (48) 99603-4203

Check out other initiatives implemented by the City Hall of Florianópolis to treat and combat HIV/AIDS:

Treatment of HIV/AIDS

People living with HIV can begin treatment and receive routine care at the Health Center from qualified doctors and nurses, with the ability to choose which unit to attend follow-up care. Situations of greater vulnerability and complexity receive support from the CTRr infectious disease team after referral from the family doctor.

A person living with HIV who is newly diagnosed with HIV begins treatment on the same day. To find out more about CTRr services, visit: https://linktr.ee/ctrrsusfloripa

Treatment Rescue

CTRr also actively seeks out people living with HIV who have stopped treatment or have not yet started treatment and offers appointments to start/resume monitoring.

There are currently 8,000 people in the municipality being treated for HIV, and about 900 people know they have the virus but are not receiving treatment. Sometimes this abstinence is due to misinformation and stigma about HIV. One of the important points in this sense is to clarify that early initiation of treatment guarantees a lower or even zero chance of contracting HIV. The treatment is simple, effective and has virtually no side effects. Starting or restarting HIV treatment can also be scheduled by calling Alo Sauda Floripa on 0800 333 3233.

Communication of sexual partnerships

When diagnosed with HIV, nurses working at CTRr offer patients an anonymous and confidential service to notify them of their sexual partnerships. The patient is free to choose different options to communicate with these partnerships to get tested for HIV.

HIV treatment by mail

Another innovative campaign developed in partnership with A Hora é Agora is the confidential delivery of medicines to people living with HIV by mail to a selected address. Florianópolis is the first city in the country to officially offer this service. To access the service, a person can contact WhatsApp at (48) 9 9177-2669.

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In accordance with Municipal Law No. 10,199 of March 27, 2017, the City Hall of Florianópolis reports that the creation of this content was free and its publication on this portal cost R$ 2,000.