Zimbabwe has taken a monumental step in the fight against HIV, becoming one of the first nations to launch a national program for lenacapavir, a revolutionary twice-yearly injectable drug that provides near-perfect protection against the virus.
Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora officially unveiled the program on Thursday, hailing it as a pivotal moment for the southern African nation, which carries one of the continent’s heaviest HIV burdens.
“This is an important day in Zimbabwe’s national response to HIV,” Minister Mombeshora stated. “It marks a new chapter in our efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat.”
A ‘Game-Changer’ in Prevention
Lenacapavir, developed by U.S.-based pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences and approved for use in Zimbabwe this past November, is being hailed as a breakthrough in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Unlike daily oral PrEP pills, which can be challenging for many to adhere to consistently, the new drug is administered via injection just twice a year. Clinical trials have shown it to be nearly 100% effective at preventing HIV infection.
For populations at high risk, the long-acting nature of the drug is a potential game-changer, eliminating the need for a daily pill and the stigma that can sometimes be associated with carrying HIV medication.
Initial Rollout Targets Most Vulnerable
The initial phase of the rollout, funded by the U.S. government and The Global Fund, aims to reach more than 46,000 high-risk individuals across 24 health sites nationwide. The program is strategically targeting priority groups who face disproportionately high infection rates, including adolescent girls, young women, and sex workers.
Community health workers are already seeing enthusiastic uptake. In the high-density suburb of Epworth, community leader Melody Dengu received the injection earlier this month and has already become an advocate for the treatment, referring a dozen other community members for the jab.
A Milestone in Zimbabwe’s Long Fight
The launch comes at a critical time. With approximately 1.3 million people living with HIV, Zimbabwe has one of the highest prevalence rates in the world. However, the country has also demonstrated a strong commitment to combating the epidemic. It has successfully met the UNAIDS’ ambitious “95-95-95” treatment targets—meaning 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment are virally suppressed. This progress has helped slash national HIV prevalence from a staggering 34% in the early 2000s to around 12% today.
The new prevention tool is seen as a vital accelerant to these efforts.
“Lenacapavir is the next best thing to a vaccine,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said of the drug, underscoring its potential to dramatically alter the course of the global HIV epidemic.
With this national program, Zimbabwe is not only protecting its own citizens but also setting a precedent for other nations on how to deploy cutting-edge science in the long-running battle against AIDS.
