President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa will begin rolling out lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention injection administered once every six months, marking a significant development in the country’s ongoing fight against HIV and AIDS.
The announcement was made during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) held at Cape Town City Hall on Thursday evening. In his address, Ramaphosa said the rollout forms part of government’s intensified strategy to prevent new HIV infections and ultimately eliminate transmission.
“In support of our programmes to prevent and ultimately eliminate HIV, we will be undertaking a massive rollout of Lenacapavir, a six-monthly injection that has proven highly effective in preventing transmission of HIV,” the President told Members of Parliament and the nation.
Lenacapavir is a long-acting form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), designed to offer protection against HIV infection for up to six months per dose. Unlike daily oral PrEP tablets, the injection is administered twice a year, a feature health experts believe could improve adherence among individuals at high risk of contracting HIV.
South Africa has one of the largest HIV treatment programmes in the world and continues to face a high burden of new infections, particularly among young women and key populations. Government officials say the introduction of a long-acting injectable prevention method could significantly reduce transmission rates if widely accessible and properly implemented.
Details regarding the timeline, eligibility criteria, and distribution strategy are expected to be outlined by the National Department of Health in the coming weeks. Authorities have indicated that the rollout will prioritise high-risk groups while expanding access through public healthcare facilities.
Public health advocates have welcomed the announcement, noting that expanding prevention options is critical to sustaining progress made in HIV treatment and care. However, experts have also emphasised the importance of ensuring adequate funding, supply chains, and community education to maximise the impact of the new intervention.
The six-month injection programme is expected to complement existing HIV prevention tools, including condoms, testing services, treatment as prevention, and daily oral PrEP, as the country continues efforts to curb new infections and strengthen its public health response.