Uganda receives first shipment of long-acting HIV prevention drug Lenacapavir

Uganda has received an initial consignment of 19,200 doses of Lenacapavir from The Global Fund, marking a significant milestone in the country’s HIV prevention efforts. The shipment is part of a larger allocation of 94,560 doses expected to be delivered under a USD 1.1 million donation.

Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable drug administered once every six months to prevent HIV infection among individuals at substantial risk of acquiring the virus. Unlike daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the twice-yearly regimen is expected to improve adherence and expand protection, particularly among vulnerable populations.

The Ministry of Health has indicated that the doses will be distributed to high-burden and high-incidence districts beginning March 2026, targeting communities with elevated HIV transmission rates. Priority groups are expected to include adolescent girls and young women, sex workers, and other populations disproportionately affected by HIV.

Clinical trials conducted in Uganda and South Africa demonstrated high effectiveness of Lenacapavir as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), especially among adolescent girls and young women — a demographic that continues to face heightened vulnerability to HIV infection in the region. The promising results positioned Uganda among the first countries to benefit from donated doses following global regulatory approvals and funding commitments.

With this initial rollout, Uganda joins a small group of early-access countries integrating long-acting injectable PrEP into national prevention programs, signaling a shift toward more client-friendly and potentially transformative HIV prevention strategies.