In less than a month , South Africa will start rolling out the most potent HIV prevention medication the world has seen. But that alone doesnt guarantee that HIV-negative people who need this twice-a-year injection called lenacapavir LEN will use it.
Uptake and whether LEN contributes to lowering the countrys 170 000 new yearly HIV infections will depend on how the health department approaches those who need it and how accessible the medicine is.
LEN is injected into the fatty layer under the skin in someones tummy . The injection leaves a small supply of medicine, called a depot, under the skin that slowly releases the drug over six months. Thats why the medicine only needs to be taken once every six months.
