South Africas first batch of the once-every-six-months HIV prevention shot, lenacapavir LEN paid for with the countrys grant from the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria will arrive soon, the health department says, although its slightly delayed.
Government roll-out is set to start in government clinics within the next couple of months, depending on when the first batch of medicine arrives and by when samples of the first batch have been quality-tested to ensure safe and effective medicine will be distributed.
Results published in 2024 showed that the twice-a-year injection is almost perfect in stopping someone from getting infected with HIV through sex, leading to it being hailed as the closest thing to a vaccine . LEN is not a vaccine rather, its preventive medicine , which works for only as long as someone takes it.
