Zuko Komisa
- South Africa plans to roll out lenacapavir, a revolutionary long-acting, six-monthly HIV prevention injection, as early as March 2026.
- The initiative is backed by R500 million in Global Fund financing and will target high-risk groups in key districts.
- Crucially, the annual cost has been reduced by over 700 times to just R690, offering a major opportunity to eliminate new infections.
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi announced this week that South Africa plans to introduce the groundbreaking, long-acting HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, as early as March 2026.
The injectable drug offers protection for six months with just two annual doses, marking a significant leap forward in the nation’s fight against the epidemic.
The Minister, speaking at a national roundtable on access, stressed that this “timely and much-needed innovation” addresses key shortcomings in existing prevention methods. Lenacapavir has demonstrated remarkable efficacy, providing 100% protection in trials among women.
The initial rollout will target high-incident districts in six provinces, focusing on vulnerable populations including pregnant women, adolescent girls, sex workers, and men who have sex with men.
Funding and Affordability
The scheme is supported by a R500 million (£21.8 million) grant from the Global Fund, which will cover approximately 456,000 initiations over two years.
In a move described by the Minister as unprecedented, the annual cost of the jab has been dramatically reduced from an estimated R484,000 to just R690 per person through agreements with Gilead and generic manufacturers. The government plans to integrate the drug into routine domestic funding after two years.
This push, bolstered by a commitment to local manufacturing and additional R2 billion in funding from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for existing HIV programmes, aims to reduce new HIV infections to below 0.1% by 2032 and move towards the elimination of AIDS as a public health threat.
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