The launch was led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi on Friday at Lilian Ngoyi Stadium in Secunda, Mpumalanga, marking a significant milestone in both South Africa’s HIV response and the global fight against AIDS.
South Africa joins a growing group of African countries Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe that are now rolling out Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable that has demonstrated close to 100% efficacy in preventing HIV.
The injectable is now available at 360 public health facilities across six provinces and 24 high-burden districts, with an ambitious national target to reach close to 1 million people by the end of 2027, and 3 million people within three years.
A combined investment of R1.3 billion from the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) will support the rollout alongside government funding.
UNAIDS Multi-Country Director for SA, Lesotho and Eswatini, Alankar Malviya, commended the roll out.
“President Ramaphosa has demonstrated commitment and political will to continue on a path to transform the HIV response. We welcome the prioritisation of adolescent girls and young women, men who have sex with men, sex workers and people who use drugs. We welcome the ambition to reach 3 million people over the next three years and the discussions between Gilead Sciences and the government to explore local generic production.”
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