Johannesburg, South Africa — In a significant development in the battle against HIV/AIDS, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has launched the innovative HIV prevention medication, Lenacapavir, at the Lillian Ngoyi Stadium in Secunda, Mpumalanga. This biannual injectable drug represents a shift from the traditional daily pill or bi-monthly injection regimens, offering a new approach to HIV prevention.
On June 5, 2026, President Ramaphosa highlighted the drug’s potential as a “turning point in our nation’s fight against HIV, “noting the shift from denialism to treatment and now to elimination.
The drug’s approval and rollout come at a critical time, as the country grapples with the impact of U. S. Aid cuts that have affected some of its HIV programs over the past year and a half.
South Africa, which carries the highest burden of HIV globally, with over 8 million people living with the virus, is targeting high-risk groups, including injectable drug users, sex workers, transgender people, adolescent women aged 15-24, and pregnant or nursing women, with the new drug.
The first batch of 37,920 doses is being distributed across 360 health facilities in six provinces with high HIV rates. Despite optimism surrounding the drug’s potential, some South African civil society organizations assert that the rollout plan is inadequate, calling for at least 2 million doses to significantly affect new infection rates.
The government has acquired 912,000 doses, funded by a $29 million Global Fund grant, sufficient for 456,000 people.
The introduction of Lenacapavir is expected to significantly lower pill fatigue and missed doses, typical challenges for traditional oral prevention drug users. For individuals like Olwam Plaatjie, who grew up witnessing the devastating effects of HIV, the new medication offers a preventive measure that could protect her from the disease. While challenges remain, including ensuring widespread access and addressing concerns about cost and supply, the rollout of Lenacapavir marks a significant step forward in South Africa’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.
Its success could influence the global approach to HIV prevention and treatment, offering hope and a new approach to HIV prevention that could have a lasting impact on the health and well — being of millions of people in South Africa and beyond.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: Africanews
Source: Rédaction Africanews
