The Aids Solidarity Movement on Thursday announced the launch of Cyprus’ first support centre for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a medication that significantly reduces the risk of HIV infection.

“The Cyprus PrEP Point will operate as an information and empowerment centre, by the community for the community,” the organisation said during an event at its Nicosia hub. “It will provide information and support to individuals who choose to take PrEP at their own risk, as the medication is not yet officially available in Cyprus.”

Health ministry spokesperson George Siakallis, present at the event, emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring “universal accessibility of PrEP in Cyprus, regardless of access to the national health system Gesy or private insurance.”

The initial rollout will include counselling and service provision at the general hospitals in Nicosia and Larnaca, as well as at Cy Checkpoint, the Aids Solidarity Movement’s testing centre for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

The programme is expected to expand to other districts and eventually be integrated into primary care, with access through personal doctors and pharmacies to ensure the widest possible reach.

AIDS Solidarity Movement chairman Christos Krasidis highlighted the importance of collaboration between the state and the community, stressing that local support was equally vital in making PrEP users feel safe and empowered.

PrEP represents a major breakthrough in HIV prevention. It was first approved in the US in 2012 and authorised in the EU in 2016 in oral form.

In September 2023, the EU also approved cabotegravir, an injectable formulation of PrEP, offering another preventative option.

Cyprus has reported a significant drop of 26 per cent in HIV diagnoses according to latest statistics published in December 2024. While there were 219 cases reported in 2022, that number fell to 162 cases in 2023.

In several European countries, such as Greece (since May 2025), PrEP is provided free of charge. Elsewhere, it is available at a personal cost.

Germany, for example, has included PrEP under public insurance since 2019, offering it to anyone over the age of 16 considered at substantial risk – based on behaviour rather than group identity.

While most users are men who have sex with men (MSM), Germany’s inclusive framework also provides access for other high-risk groups, including sex workers, intravenous drug users and migrants.

This model reflects Cyprus’ stated goal of ensuring PrEP access for all individuals at risk, regardless of background or socioeconomic status.