HARARE – Zimbabwe has been selected as one of 10 countries worldwide to roll out lenacapavir, a new twice-yearly HIV prevention medicine hailed as a breakthrough in the global fight against the epidemic.
The announcement was made by the United States embassy in Harare on Tuesday, describing the development as a “major step toward ending new infections” in the country.
Lenacapavir, developed by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences in partnership with the Global Fund, is the first HIV prevention drug administered just twice a year. In large-scale clinical trials, more than 99 percent of participants who took the drug remained HIV negative.
The U.S. embassy said Zimbabwe’s rollout will prioritise pregnant and breastfeeding women, in an effort to protect the next generation, while also strengthening the country’s health system and making the medicine more affordable and accessible.
“This is American leadership at its best: driving innovation, and building a world where children, mothers, and communities can thrive,” the embassy said.
Zimbabwe remains one of the countries hardest hit by HIV, though infection rates have steadily declined over the past two decades thanks to increased access to antiretroviral therapy and prevention programmes.
Public health experts say the introduction of lenacapavir could mark a turning point in the fight against the epidemic, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where new infections remain high.
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