Zambia has entered a new phase in HIV prevention following the arrival of lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis option.
The first stock of the twice-yearly injectable PrEP medicine arrived in Zambia in September 2026, with the first delivery received at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka on September 1. UNAIDS said the rollout is being supported through collaboration involving the Zambian government, communities, the Global Fund and the US government.
Lenacapavir is designed to help prevent HIV infection in people who are HIV-negative and eligible for PrEP.
Unlike daily oral PrEP, the long-acting option is administered as an injection at intervals rather than requiring a pill to be taken every day.
That difference could be important for people who find daily medication difficult to maintain.
However, the arrival of the medicine does not mean everyone should simply seek an injection independently.
Access, eligibility, administration and follow-up are matters for qualified healthcare providers and the relevant national health programme.
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PrEP is also not a treatment for someone who already has HIV.
People should receive appropriate HIV testing and medical guidance before starting prevention medication.
The development is significant because HIV prevention has historically faced challenges involving access, adherence and stigma.
A longer-acting option could provide another tool in the prevention programme.
UNAIDS described the rollout as an opportunity to accelerate HIV prevention and protect progress already made in Zambia’s HIV response.
For the public, one of the most important messages is that HIV prevention is becoming increasingly diverse.
Condoms, testing, PrEP and other prevention strategies can play different roles depending on a person’s circumstances.
Anyone interested in lenacapavir should therefore speak to a healthcare provider or an authorised HIV prevention service to find out whether it is available and appropriate for them.
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