Today marks a historic moment — Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking twice-yearly HIV-prevention injection, has begun its first public rollouts in Africa 🇿🇦🇸🇿🇿🇲.
The rollout kicked off in South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia — countries among the hardest hit by HIV worldwide. The injection has shown more than 99.9 % effectiveness in preventing HIV transmission, giving it a protection level close to a vaccine.
In South Africa — where roughly one in five adults lives with HIV — the rollout is being overseen by a university research unit under funding from Unitaid, a global health agency.  Meanwhile, Eswatini and Zambia have reportedly received their first doses under programmes supported by global partners.
💉 Unlike daily PrEP pills, lenacapavir’s twice-a-year schedule offers a more convenient, potentially stigma-reducing option — a major advantage for many Africans who face barriers accessing or staying on daily regimens.
🌍 This development could change the face of HIV prevention across high-burden regions in Africa. With cost-reduction agreements in place for low- and middle-income countries, there’s hope that widespread access may soon follow.
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