Uganda is set to receive 94,560 doses of the long-acting HIV prevention injectable drug Lenacapavir next week, marking a significant boost to the country’s efforts to curb new HIV infections.
The twice-yearly pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) injection, developed by US pharmaceutical firm Gilead Sciences, was recently approved by Uganda’s National Drug Authority (NDA). Its arrival is expected to expand prevention options, particularly for individuals at high risk of HIV exposure.
Unlike daily oral PrEP, Lenacapavir requires only one injection every six months, a feature health experts say could improve adherence, reduce stigma associated with pill-taking, and enhance protection among vulnerable populations, including adolescent girls and young women.
The development comes just two days after Kenya became the first country in East Africa to receive the twice-yearly pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) injection, signaling growing regional momentum in the adoption of next-generation HIV prevention tools.
Public health officials have described the development as a potential game-changer in Uganda’s HIV response, strengthening national efforts to meet the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The shipment is expected to pave the way for phased distribution across selected health facilities as authorities prepare for wider rollout.
