Zimbabwe To Expand Access To Lenacapavir As Demand Surges Ahead Of January Rollout

Zimbabwe is preparing to take its use of the long-acting HIV prevention medicine lenacapavir to a wider population, with national rollout plans expected to take shape from January next year.

The twice-yearly injection has recorded strong demand since it was introduced through a pilot programme, with about 4,700 people already starting the prevention method at 12 sites.

The latest phase of the programme is being supported by a new consignment of 23,000 doses that is already in the country, while another 20,000 doses are expected to arrive.

Also Read: Consignment Of Twice-A-Year Lenacapavir HIV Prevention Injection To Reach Zimbabwe In July

Demand Outpaces Initial Expectations

According to The Herald, the Ministry of Health and Child Care initially received 2,000 doses and directed them towards districts with high HIV incidence, existing PrEP use and gaps in HIV prevention and treatment.

However, demand quickly exceeded projections.

According to Aids and TB unit director Dr Owen Mugurungi, most of the initial supply had been taken up within just two weeks, forcing health authorities to rethink their distribution strategy.

“We anticipated that maybe the injections would go on for about three months or so, but in the first two weeks the majority of the lenacapavir was already taken,” Mugurungi said.

He said the Ministry subsequently had to ensure that people who had already started using the medicine would not miss their follow-up injection.

The programme is now recording about 500 new initiations each week.

Women Among The Main Users

Lenacapavir has proved particularly popular among women, with the largest group of users aged between 24 and 45.

Health authorities have also reached adolescent girls and young women, who remain a key target group in HIV prevention efforts.

Mugurungi said the programme was also significant because it was bringing people into HIV prevention who had never previously used PrEP.

“The majority of people who are now on Lenacapavir had never used PrEP before, which is encouraging,” he said.

People who were already using other HIV prevention methods can continue with them or opt for lenacapavir instead.

Few Side Effects Reported

The Ministry has also reported relatively few side effects among those receiving the injections.

Only 13 side effects were recorded from nearly 5,000 injections administered, with most involving reactions around the injection site, according to Mugurungi.

Lenacapavir provides an alternative to daily oral PrEP because it is administered twice a year, giving users another option for preventing HIV infection.

“The demand for lenacapavir is very strong. For obvious reasons, it is one injection for every six months, or two injections per year, and people want choice,” Mugurungi said.

Government Prepares For Wider Rollout

The Ministry is now training health workers, assessing facilities and developing systems to support wider access to the medicine.

Districts will identify HIV hotspots where prevention services should be prioritised, while lessons from the current programme will be used to address potential challenges before national implementation begins.

“We are already in the mode of capacity building, training, activation, supervision and mentorship,” Mugurungi said.

He said the aim was to ensure facilities were ready, health workers were properly trained and systems were in place to follow up people receiving lenacapavir.

Access Could Move Beyond Clinics

The planned expansion is also expected to take HIV prevention services outside traditional health facilities.

Mugurungi said the Ministry was exploring ways for people to obtain lenacapavir through pharmacies and outreach programmes, particularly because access to clinics can be difficult for some communities.

“We cannot continue to give this injection only in clinics because we also have challenges in accessing clinics,” he said.

The Ministry is therefore looking at expanding services to communities that may otherwise struggle to reach health facilities.

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