South Africa plans to begin distributing the long-acting HIV prevention drug lenacapavir by March 2026, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced on Tuesday.
The injectable medication provides six months of protection per dose and is expected to play a major role in reducing new infections and advancing the country’s goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.
Speaking at a national roundtable on lenacapavir access and sustainability, Motsoaledi described the treatment as a “much-needed innovation” that fills crucial gaps in existing prevention methods.
“We need prevention methods that fit into people’s lives,” he said. “Lenacapavir expands the choices within our combination prevention strategy and helps address persistent challenges in HIV prevention.”
The initial rollout will cover 23 high-incidence districts across six provinces, with about 360 public clinics administering the injections. Priority groups include adolescent girls, pregnant and breastfeeding women, female sex workers, and men who have sex with men — populations at higher risk of HIV transmission.
South Africa continues to face one of the world’s highest HIV burdens, with around 149,000 new infections recorded in 2022 and 2023 combined.
Clinical trials of lenacapavir have shown 100% protection among women and 96% among men who have sex with men and transgender women, raising hopes for a major breakthrough in preventing new infections.
Source:Africa Publicity
