Zimbabwe to Introduce Innovative Long-Acting HIV Prevention Injection
HARARE – Zimbabwe is preparing to roll out a new long-acting HIV prevention injection, Lenacapavir, targeting more than 46,000 individuals considered at high risk of infection.
The initial phase of the program is set to launch on February 18 in Epworth, Harare, under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The initiative places Zimbabwe among the first countries worldwide to deploy this next-generation HIV prevention method.
Dr. Aspect Maunganidze, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, stated that the program will prioritise vulnerable groups, including adolescent girls, pregnant women, and high-risk workers.
Unlike traditional oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), Lenacapavir is administered via injection only twice a year, offering extended protection and eliminating the need for daily pills.
The program’s first phase includes 24 operational sites and nearly 400 trained health workers, with rollout beginning in urban areas before expanding to other high-incidence regions across the country.
