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On Monday, South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia commenced the administration of a new HIV-prevention injection, marking the first public distribution of this drug in Africa, the region with the highest HIV prevalence globally.
The injectable medication, lenacapavir, is administered biannually and has demonstrated a reduction in the risk of HIV transmission by over 99.9 percent, making it comparable to a highly effective vaccine.
In South Africa, where approximately one in five adults is living with HIV, a research unit from Wits University is managing the initial rollout under a program funded by Unitaid, a United Nations health agency.
Unitaid has confirmed that the first individuals have started to receive the injection in South Africa, describing it as one of the earliest real-world applications of this six-monthly drug in low- and middle-income countries.
The agency did not disclose the number of individuals who received the initial doses. A broader national rollout in South Africa is anticipated next year.
“The first individuals have commenced using lenacapavir for HIV prevention in South Africa, making it among the earliest real-world applications of the six-monthly injectable in low- and middle-income countries,” Unitaid stated in a press release.
Zambia and Eswatini, which received 1,000 doses last month through a United States-supported initiative, were also expected to launch the drug on Monday during World AIDS Day events.
As part of this initiative, the manufacturer Gilead Sciences has pledged to provide lenacapavir at no profit to two million people in high-burden countries over the next three years.
However, critics argue that this commitment falls significantly short of demand and point out that the drug's commercial price, approximately $28,000 per person annually in the United States, is unaffordable for the majority of individuals in Africa.
According to UNAIDS figures for 2024, eastern and southern Africa account for around 52 percent of the 40.8 million people living with HIV worldwide.
What is lenacapavir?
Lenacapavir is a new injectable drug used for HIV prevention, administered twice a year, and has shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by over 99.9 percent.
Which countries are administering lenacapavir?
South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia are currently administering lenacapavir as part of a new HIV-prevention initiative.
What is the cost of lenacapavir?
In the United States, the commercial price of lenacapavir is around $28,000 per person annually, which is considered unaffordable for many in Africa.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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