LEN joins other WHO-recommended PrEP options, including daily oral PrEP, injectable cabotegravir and the dapivirine vaginal ring, as part of a growing arsenal of tools to end the HIV epidemic. r
Uganda’s Ministry of Health will, on Friday, roll out the countrywide use of Lenacapavir injection at Lira Regional Referral Hospital.
In July last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) released guidelines recommending the use of injectable lenacapvir(LEN) twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention.
The launch was a landmark policy action that could help reshape the global HIV response. Uganda is among the countries in Africa that have made their own policy to roll out the drug to where it is needed most.
LEN, the first twice-yearly injectable PrEP product, offers a highly effective, long-acting alternative to daily oral pills and other shorter-acting options. With just two doses per year, LEN is a transformative step forward in protecting people at risk of HIV – particularly those who face challenges with daily adherence, stigma, or access to health care.
Emmanuel Ainebyona, the Communications Manager, Ministry of Health, says the Ministry will prioritize districts that lead in the spread of HIV and those with high-risk or key populations.
He said that health workers will be tasked with investigating any person that will be asking to be given the drug before being injected, adding that the injection is not a vaccine and will be administered twice every year.
Meanwhile, the Ministry selected three districts in the Ankole sub-region to begin the rollout of the injectable Lenacapavir. The districts are Kazo, Mbarara, and Ibanda.
The announcement was made on Tuesday during a three-day training on HIV pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis for health workers in Uganda, held at Kazo Health Centre IV in Kazo Town Council, Kazo District.
The rollout in Ankole will be carried out at Kazo Health Center IV, Bufunda Health Center IV in Ibanda, and Bwizibwera Health Center IV in Mbarara District, and other 120 health facilities across the country.
Dr. Edgar Kansiime, the Kazo District Health Officer, says the injection will be given to the people who test negative for the virus but stay within the high-risk or key population, like discordant couples, adolescent girls.
Dr. Kansiime notes that the long-acting injection will improve adherence and reduce the burden of daily tablets, but also urges the public not to shy away from existing prevention methods, such as condom use.
Dr. Kansiime stressed the need for stronger stakeholder efforts and use of the Lenacapavir injection to address high prevalence among women (6.4%), men (3.4%), and children (0.3%), noting that new infections in 2025 included 21,000 women and 11,000 men.
The rollout of the injection comes at a time when Uganda has over 1,500,000 people living with HIV, including 930,000 women, 570,000 men, and 71,000 children.
With Ankole-region having district-specific prevalence rates: Kiruhura 11%, Mbarara City 10%, Bushenyi 8%, Mbarara District 8%, Sheema 7%, Rwampara 7%, Ibanda 6%, Rubirizi 6%, Ntungamo 6%, Mitooma 5%, Buhweju 4%, Kazo 4%, and Isingiro 4%.
-URN
