South Africa rolls out lenacapavir

South Africa has launched the rollout of Lenacapavir, a highly effective, twice-yearly injectable drug for HIV prevention, marking a significant turning point in the country's fight against HIV. Developed by Gilead Sciences, Lenacapavir demonstrated 100% effectiveness in clinical trials conducted in South Africa and Uganda. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the drug's introduction, with an initial batch of 37,920 doses distributed across 360 health facilities in six provinces. The The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria provided a $29 million grant to cover 456,000 people for a year, and South Africa aims to fund the program independently thereafter. Gilead Sciences has committed to granting a manufacturing license to a South African company to produce cheaper generics, reducing the cost from $28,000 to $40 per person annually for lower-middle-income countries. Health advocates, including African Alliance and Health Global Access Project, have raised concerns about the adequacy of the rollout plan and access for vulnerable populations, especially given past U.S. aid cuts by the Trump administration that led to clinic closures.