Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare
THE adoption of the use of Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly long-acting injectable for HIV prevention, is a key step that will be crucial for the achievement of a world free from new HIV infections, rights groups have said.
Girls’, women’s rights and sex worker–led organisations made these sentiments following the announcement by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) over the weekend that it had fast-tracked approval of Lenacapavir after completing an expedited 23-day regulatory review.
Lenacapavir is a new-generation pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option that requires only two injections per year, offering greater convenience and improved adherence for populations at high risk of HIV, including sex workers, adolescent girls and young women.
In an interview following the announcement, Springs of Life Zimbabwe (SLZ) programme coordinator Ms Precious Msindo said while the approval marked significant progress, its true impact would depend on equitable access.
“Lenacapavir can change lives, but only if sex workers and other vulnerable communities are able to access it without discrimination, stigma or prohibitive costs,” Ms Msindo said.
“Approval alone is not victory. What matters is whether every woman, every young person and every sex worker who needs this prevention tool can walk into a clinic and get it safely and respectfully.”
She said sex workers continued to face structural barriers such as police harassment, clinic-based stigma and criminalisation, factors that often pushed them away from essential HIV services.
Because of these realities, she said, long-acting PrEP could be a transformative option for those who struggle with daily oral medication due to mobility, workplace unpredictability or fear of disclosure.
Ms Msindo urged the Ministry of Health, MCAZ and international partners to ensure the rollout includes sex worker–friendly service points, peer-led delivery models and non-judgmental health workers trained to support key populations.
“Meaningful community consultation is essential.
“Sex workers understand their own realities. We must be included in planning, messaging and monitoring the rollout. Nothing about us without us,” she said.
She also called for clear communication regarding safety protocols, including mandatory HIV testing before each dose and adherence to safer sex practices.
“Scientific breakthroughs only matter when communities can actually use them,” Ms Msindo said.
“Lenacapavir is a step forward, but its success will depend on whether Zimbabwe’s most marginalised groups are centred—not sidelined.”
Shamwari Yemwanasikana director Ms Ekenia Chifamba said the approval should spark broader efforts to address the social and systemic barriers that undermine HIV prevention for girls and young women.
“This development is timely, but we must remember that medical tools work best when paired with protection of rights.
“Young women and girls—especially those living on the margins or surviving through sex work—need safe environments, free from violence and stigma, to fully benefit from innovations like Lenacapavir.
“Access must go hand-in-hand with dignity, safety and empowerment,” Ms Chifamba said.
