Uganda’s National Drug Authority (NDA) has approved Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention injection developed by US-based pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against HIV/AIDS.

Lenacapavir is a twice-yearly pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) injection designed to protect HIV-negative individuals at high risk of infection. Health experts say the innovation could significantly improve adherence compared to daily oral PrEP, which many users struggle to take consistently.

The approval is being hailed as a breakthrough in HIV prevention, offering a simpler and more discreet option that could expand access among key populations, including young people and other high-risk groups.

Public health specialists note that long-acting PrEP technologies like Lenacapavir are critical to accelerating progress toward the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. For Uganda, the move strengthens national HIV prevention efforts and brings renewed hope to millions at risk of infection.