Press release
Integrating PrEP, testing, and peer support to improve prevention and support for people with HIV. An innovative model that can be replicated in other Italian settings. This is the project conceived by Provincial Committee of Arcigay “Antinoo” of Naples in collaboration with the’Cotugno Hospital. It will be made possible thanks to the Community Award Program 2025 Of Gilead Sciences, national competition for third sector organizations.
Milan, October 7, 2025 – A new service open to the population of Campania is born in Naples to address in an integrated and innovative way the three most important emergencies in the fight against the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STIs): effective prevention, early diagnosis, "peer" support for those living with and those who discover they are living with HIV infection. It is the project "“PrEP, Testing, and Peer Support: an integrated service from HIV/STI prevention to management”, conceived and coordinated by Antinoo Arcigay Naples in collaboration with the’Cotugno Hospital of the city, national reference center for infectious diseases.
The initiative, the first of its kind in Campania, will be carried out thanks to the funding obtained from Community Award Program 2025, Call for proposals promoted in Italy by the biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences and reserved for patient associations and third sector organizations in the areas of infectious diseases, oncological pathologies and oncohaematological pathologies.
The HIV situation in Campania presents several critical issues. The region has one of the highest annual incidence rates in Italy, with over 3.9 new cases per 100,000 residents.1. Furthermore, a worrying percentage of diagnoses occur late, when the infection is very advanced and it is more difficult to intervene with the therapies available today.2
These data highlight the delays in accessing diagnostic testing: limited availability of screening sites, combined with stigma, prevent many people from getting tested, increasing the risk of transmission and delaying diagnosis. They also demonstrate a lack of awareness and information about prevention, which today can be achieved through effective pharmacological options (PrEP, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), but which are difficult to access quickly due to the current long waiting times. Finally, those living with HIV or discovering they have contracted it lack support for issues related to the infection, from managing treatment to practical and emotional-relational issues, amid widespread prejudice and stigma.
“"There is a clear need for interventions that are not only timely but also innovative, capable of ensuring greater dissemination of preventive behaviors, greater use of tests for the timely diagnosis of the infection, and ongoing support for those who contract the infection. Hence the idea of a integrated services project leveraging the virtuous synergy that can be created by combining the skills of the third sector – our Association – and those of public health – the Cotugno Hospital – explains Carlo Oneto, sociologist and health group manager Antinoo Arcigay Naples.
The project awarded in the Call for Proposals foresees the creation of the first regional point for access to PrEP, rapid HIV/STI tests and support for people with HIV provided by those living with the same condition (peer-to-peer support). In detail:
- Community-based PrEP PointRapid and barrier-free access to PrEP through counseling by volunteer medical staff and appropriately trained people living with HIV within the organization's facilities. The goal is to drastically reduce waiting times from the current 30-day wait to a maximum of 7 days, bringing what is currently only done in hospitals (so-called de-hospitalization) to the organization's facilities.;
- HIV/STI Check PointRapid testing for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis C, along with structured counseling by healthcare professionals and peers living with HIV, will be available. External events will be organized to bring screening and information to the most vulnerable communities in the city and the region. The final goal is to increase the number of HIV/STI tests performed by 30% compared to 2025;
- Peer Support (HIV Tutor Care): medical, practical and emotional-relational support for at least 50 people with a new HIV diagnosis by those – adequately trained – who share their same condition (peer learning). Support through meetings and discussion groups for the creation of mutual aid networks, therapy management, assistance with administrative and healthcare procedures, and relationships with medical staff.
All activities, which will begin in late 2025 and continue throughout 2026, will take place both in the "de-hospitalized" premises of Antinoo Arcigay Napoli, easily accessible from the city center, and in a dedicated space within Cotugno Hospital. This dual location will allow services to be offered in both a community setting and a hospital setting, facilitating access for people with diverse needs.
“This collaboration represents an important step towards a more inclusive public health model that is closer to people's real needs.,” emphasizes Dr. Viviana Rizzo infectious disease specialist, as well as coordinator and supervisor of the project on behalf of the’Cotugno Hospital in Naples. “The combination of the hospital's clinical expertise and the local experience of Antinoo Arcigay Napoli allows us to offer timely and effective responses in HIV prevention and management. The presence of a PrEP Point within the association, as well as the active involvement of peer supporters and medical staff, are innovative elements that can make a difference in combating the spread of the infection and improving the quality of life of those who live with it daily..”
At the conclusion of the project, procedures and results will be disseminated and presented in the scientific community so that the model can be replicated and scalable.“By combining PrEP points, check points and Peer Support we aim to propose an innovative and highly effective model in the fight against HIV and STIs, a model that can certainly be replicated in other local contexts where there is the will to pooling the skills of the third sector and public health, one of the key elements of the success of this type of initiative"” – concludes Carlo Oneto.
1 National Institute of Health: https://www.epicentro.iss.it/aids/pdf/coa-2024.pdf.
2 Approximately 60% of newly diagnosed people in the region have a compromised immune system at the time of diagnosis, with over 40% already having full-blown AIDS.
Community Award Program
The Community Award Program – now in its 13th yearto edition – is the competition promoted by Gilead Sciences aimed at selecting and rewarding the best projects submitted by patient associations and, more generally, by Italian nonprofit organizations that, according to an independent judging panel, demonstrate positive impacts on the quality of life and therapeutic care of people with HIV, liver disease, oncology, and hemato-oncology. Over the course of the 13 editions, 285 projects submitted by patient associations were awarded, one-third of which were national, while the remainder operated at the local level throughout the country. Projects were evaluated using five criteria: 1. Content; 2. Objectives and feasibility; 3. Experience of the applicant in the project's thematic area; 4. Creation of networks and/or collaborative partnerships that involve sharing best practices; 5. Significance of the project's social impact. To learn more: www.gilead.it
Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences is a California-based biopharmaceutical company that has been researching and developing innovative medicines to contribute to global health for nearly 40 years. The company is committed to medical advances for the prevention and treatment of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, liver disease, COVID-19, hematological diseases, and oncology. Headquartered in Milan since 2000, Gilead collaborates with institutional, scientific, academic, and industrial partners, as well as local communities, to research, develop, and make therapies available to Italian patients. Learn more about www.gilead.it
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