Lenacapavir, a six-monthly HIV prevention injection, arrives in South Africa, offering renewed hope to high-risk communities and marking a major milestone in the fight against HIV.
More than 55,000 people have started using South Africa’s new twice-yearly HIV prevention injection in just three months, offering an early indication of strong demand for longer-acting HIV prevention options.
In a statement released ealier this week, the Department of Health said that 55,123 people had been initiated on lenacapavir as of September 7, just over three months after the national programme was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi on June 5.
The rollout has been taking place at 360 public health facilities across 24 districts in six provinces. The department describing the uptake as evidence of “strong demand” for the long-acting HIV prevention option.
Lenacapavir is administered twice a year as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), meaning people can receive protection against HIV without having to take a daily prevention pill.
