Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Senior Health Reporter
Zimbabwe has officially launched Lenacapavir, marking a major milestone in the country’s HIV prevention response and strengthening efforts to curb new infections.
The long-acting injectable, administered twice a year, offers an alternative to daily oral prevention pills and is expected to improve adherence and expand choice in HIV prevention services.
Launching the new drug today, Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the introduction of the injectable was an important milestone in Zimbabwe’s national response to HIV.
“Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable option for HIV prevention and demonstrates our commitment to protecting lives and containing HIV and AIDS and other health threats. New HIV infections continue to occur, especially among adolescents, girls and young women and other populations at increased risk. This tells us something important, prevention must fit into real life. Not everyone finds it easy to take a pill every day. Life gets busy, sometimes people forget, and stigma can make it harder to be seen taking pills,” he said.
The Minister said Zimbabwe had already received its first supply and begun phased implementation, with the first clients having received the injection earlier this month.
He said the phased rollout would ensure the programme is implemented properly, safely and fairly before expanding nationwide.
