Free HIV prevention treatments, PrEP and PEP, will be available in Malta next year, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela confirmed to Times of Malta.

Funds for the initiative, expected to cost millions, have been allocated in the 2025 budget.

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a medication taken before sexual activity to prevent HIV transmission, while PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is used within 72 hours after a high-risk encounter.

Currently, a 30-day supply of PrEP costs around €57, while PEP exceeds €600. Offering these treatments at no cost was a key promise in the Labour Party’s electoral manifesto.

Last week, activists, including groups like Checkpoint Malta, HIV Malta, and MGRM, urged the government to act on this commitment.

In a joint statement on World AIDS Day, they highlighted the benefits seen in countries that provide free or subsidised PrEP and PEP, where new HIV infections have dropped significantly, unlike Malta’s rising rates.

Abela also announced that a sexual health strategy will soon be open for public consultation.

He emphasised that making HIV preventive treatments free is a cornerstone of this plan, aimed at addressing Malta’s growing public health challenge and improving sexual health outcomes nationwide.

In a statement, a number of local NGOs such as Checkpoint Malta, HIV Malta, MGRM, Moviment Graffitti, LGBTI+ Gozo,  ARC – Allied Rainbow Communities and aditus , welcomed the government’s decision, calling it a step in the right direction to mitigate the rising cases of HIV in Malta.

The coalition also called on the government to introduce free PrEP and PEP for all that require it, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, and immigration status.

They also urged the state, to follow the British healthcare system and introduce opt-out HIV testing for all those admitted to Hospital, or that require blood tests, to scale up HIV testing and diagnose possible HIV acquisition at an early stage.

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Source: @timesofmalta