South Africa launches groundbreaking HIV prevention injection

South Africa has taken a bold step in the fight against HIV/AIDS with the introduction of a groundbreaking long-acting injectable drug, Lenacapavir, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced.



Speaking on Tuesday at an event held in Johannesburg, Motsoaledi described the rollout of Lenacapavir as a "pivotal moment" for the country, noting that the injection would significantly strengthen South Africa's HIV prevention strategy.



He highlighted the progress the country has made over the past two decades in combating some of the highest HIV infection rates in the world, with about eight million people currently living with the virus. He said this new development further strengthens the ongoing fight and builds on years of progress in prevention and treatment.



"South Africa has secured an initial allocation of Lenacapavir through a generous Global Fund grant, but this will only cover a fraction of the total need in the first couple of years. Specifically, the Global Fund's catalytic investment of about 29 million U.S. dollars will provide approximately 456,000 Lenacapavir initiations over two years, translating into 912,000 doses," Motsoaledi noted.