South Africa is strengthening the rollout of Lenacapavir, an injectable medication used twice a year for HIV prevention. This week, the Gauteng province received a new batch of 28,593 starter kits.
This new supply is being distributed among 133 participating healthcare facilities in Gauteng. Previously, some of these sites reported temporary shortages following high demand since the drug's introduction in June.
According to South African authorities, the latest delivery has increased the total number of starter kits received by the province to 57,231. This development occurs amid the ongoing expansion of access to Lenacapavir nationwide following its official launch on June 5th.
The first phase of the program covers approximately 360 public health facilities across six provinces and 24 high-burden districts.
Lenacapavir, which is administered via injection every six months, is used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of HIV infection among HIV-negative individuals. Healthcare workers note that this long-acting option can expand prevention capabilities, especially for those who find it difficult to take daily oral PrEP.
In early April, South Africa received its first batch of about 37,920 doses. By the end of July, 17,937 eligible people in Gauteng had started using Lenacapavir.
The South African government aims to cover nearly one million people with Lenacapavir by the end of 2027 and three million within three years as part of efforts to reduce new HIV infections. Meanwhile, South Africa continues to face one of the world's largest HIV challenges.
According to Statistics South Africa, in 2025, there were approximately 8.15 million people living with HIV in the country, accounting for about 12.9% of the population.