The Department of Health has welcomed the arrival of a new HIV prevention medicine, lenacapavir, marking a significant step in efforts to curb new infections. The first batch, consisting of 37,920 doses, arrived in South Africa last week. Health officials say the drug will form part of integrated and people-centred HIV prevention services aimed at reaching those who struggle to access or adhere to existing methods.
Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the medicine offers new hope. “Lenacapavir is part of integrated, differentiated and people-centred HIV prevention services which offer new hope for people who face barriers to existing HIV prevention methods,” he said.
Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable taken every six months. It is designed to expand prevention options and improve adherence, particularly among vulnerable groups such as adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, and men who have sex with men. The department said the introduction of the drug supports South Africa’s goal of reducing new HIV infections and ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi described the development as a major breakthrough in HIV prevention and is expected to announce the official launch date in consultation with the President. The department emphasised that lenacapavir is a preventive treatment, not a vaccine, but is regarded as one of the most important advances in HIV prevention in recent years.
