Increasing Uptake of PrEP Among Female Sex Workers in Togo through the PrEP Champion Strategy - Success Story - October 2024

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana

PrEP uptake among female sex workers in Togo improved through a peer-led PrEP champion strategy piloted in Grand Lomé from June to September 2023. FAMME and EpiC engaged PrEP users as advocates who shared personal experiences, addressed questions about side effects and pill routines, reduced stigma, and guided referrals to accredited clinics. The initiative expanded screening and nearly doubled initiation, increasing quarterly initiation from 164 to 398 and raising community trust and follow-up access.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Background

The PrEP Champion Strategy: A Peer-Led Solution

Implementation

Impact

Increasing Uptake of PrEP Among Female Sex Workers in Togo through the PrEP Champion Strategy SUCCESS STORY | OCTOBER 2024 The strategy engaged PrEP users as advocates who shared their personal experiences with their peers, helping others make informed decisions about initiating PrEP. Background In Togo, female sex workers (FSWs) are disproportionately affected by HIV, with a prevalence of 7 percent compared to just 1.7 percent among women in the general population1 . Recognizing this disparity, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was introduced in 2021 as an HIV prevention method for FSWs and other key populations (KPs) . PrEP is a powerful prevention tool for KPs like FSWs, who face increased HIV exposure risks due to structural and social barriers that limit access to healthcare and the increased likelihood of unprotected sex. To address the gap in HIV prevention among FSWs, Forces en Action pour le Mieux-être de la Mère de l’Enfant (FAMME)—a nongovernmental organization focused on improving the health and socio-economic well-being of marginalized women and their children in Togo—partnered with the PEPFAR-and USAID-funded Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project. Both EpiC Togo and FAMME operate in the Grand Lomé region of Togo, which is home to approximately 17,035 FSWs and has been allocated over 90 percent of the total PrEP targets in Togo. Given the high concentration of FSWs in Grand Lomé, FAMME and EpiC worked together to introduce PrEP to FSWs in 2023. USAID set a quarterly target of screening 397 FSWs and initiating 260 of them on PrEP. While screening efforts exceeded expectations at 2,836 (238 percent of the screening target), only 436 FSWs (or 55 percent of the target) were initiated on PrEP from October 2022-May 2023. This disparity highlighted the need for more effective engagement strategies to address FSW’s barriers to initiating PrEP. The PrEP Champion Strategy: A Peer-Led Solution In response to the low uptake, FAMME and EpiC Togo piloted the PrEP champion strategy from June 2023 to September 2023 in FSW hotspots in Togo’s Grand Lomé region. This approach offers more relatable and supportive peer-led outreach. The strategy’s goals include the following: • Improve knowledge of PrEP and how to obtain it. • Reduce the stigma associated with PrEP. • Increase referrals of eligible FSWs to accredited medical centers for PrEP. The strategy engaged PrEP users as advocates who shared their personal experiences with their peers individually or in a group, and provided real-world insights to help others make informed decisions about initiating PrEP. The champions not only answered common questions about potential side effects, pill size, pill taking routines, and stigma, they also offered personalized support and guidance on accessing PrEP in their communities. 1 UNAIDS. UNAIDS data 2023 p 350-351 . [Internet] 2023 [Cited 2024 Sept 24] . Available from: [https://www.unaids.org/](https://www.unaids.org/)[ ](https://www.unaids.org/)[sites/default/files/media_asset/data-book-2023_en.pdf](sites/default/files/media_asset/data-book-2023_en.pdf.)[.](sites/default/files/media_asset/data-book-2023_en.pdf.) SUCCESS STORY | OCTOBER 2024 During a community mobilization event led by PrEP champions in the Maritime Region, a FSW undergoes HIV testing with a laboratory technician from FAMME. Following her negative result, she is referred for PrEP initiation at one of FAMME’s partner clinics. Photo credit: Dakey Kossi M. for FAMME Implementation FAMME requested applications and selected five PrEP-using FSWs in July 2023 to launch the PrEP champion strategy. The selection process prioritized their adherence to PrEP and their influence within the FSW community. These new PrEP champions joined eight existing peer educators who were also PrEP champions. Using the PrEP demand creation strategy training developed in Togo (with the support of FHI 360), they were trained on the basics o

FAQs

Why was the PrEP champion strategy needed for female sex workers in Togo?

Female sex workers in Togo face higher HIV prevalence and barriers that limit access to PrEP. From October 2022 to May 2023, screening exceeded targets but initiation lagged, showing the need for more effective engagement to overcome initiation barriers.

What were the main goals of the PrEP champion strategy?

The strategy aimed to improve knowledge of PrEP and how to obtain it, reduce stigma linked to PrEP, and increase referrals of eligible female sex workers to accredited medical centers.

How did the pilot affect PrEP initiation rates?

During the June–September 2023 pilot, the number of women initiated on PrEP nearly doubled. Initiation rose from 164 in the third quarter to 398 by the fourth quarter, a 142% increase, and total initiations increased from 436 to 834 by late September.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana