Kenya receives first 21,000 doses of injectable HIV‑prevention drug

Kenya will begin a nationwide rollout of a long-acting HIV prevention drug in March, targeting 15 high-burden regions, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday.

The drug, Lenacapavir, is administered twice a year and has demonstrated more than 99.9 percent effectiveness in reducing the risk of HIV transmission in clinical trials. 

The US Food and Drug Administration approved the drug in June 2025, and the World Health Organization endorsed its use in updated long‑acting HIV prevention guidelines the following month.

Kenya is one of nine African countries selected to offer lenacapavir. South Africa, Eswatini and Zambia began their rollouts in late 2025.

Eastern and southern Africa remain the epicenter of the global HIV epidemic, accounting for about 52 percent of the estimated 40.8 million people living with HIV worldwide, according to 2024 UNAIDS data.

Kenya received its first shipment of 21,000 doses on Tuesday under an agreement with US-based pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, the drug’s manufacturer, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The US government also pledged to supply Kenya with an additional 25,000 doses.

The introduction of Lenacapavir comes at a time when several African countries are facing reductions in foreign assistance. Aid cuts under US President Donald Trump have disrupted HIV/AIDS programs across parts of the continent.

Kenyan health officials say Wednesday's rollout is in line with Kenya's broader universal health coverage agenda.

The drug will be offered at an estimated annual cost of about 7,800 Kenya shillings ($60) per patient, a sharp reduction from its previous price of approximately $42,000.

With input from wires