The Ministry of Health is increasing the number of health facilities offering Lenacapavir in the country to ensure more access to the drug currently being seen as the gamechanger in HIV prevention. The drug was recommended for use as an HIV prevention option across the world by the World Health Organisation in July 2025 after studies partly done in Uganda found that the twice yearly injection is a highly effective, long-acting alternative to daily oral pills already in use in many countries and other shorter-acting options.
In Uganda, dispensing of the drug started in April 2026 after the country received a donation of 19,200 doses from the Global Fund. With these doses, the country has been able to supply Lenacapavir to 104 health facilities attracting a lot of demand from the public.
Owing to this high demand, according to Dr Pamela Achii, the Supply Chain Management Specialist at the ministry, they have earmarked a total of 300facilities to be offering the HIV prevention injection in 2026 and that 196 otherfacilities are to join the programme in November.
For the new supply, Achii says they are prioritising health facilities recording high volumes of people who are at substantial risk of infection especially those that offer services to refugees, sex workers, truckers, migrants, injection drug users and fisher folk.
The official says the country expects additional 19,200 doses donation to arrive in the country soon noting that apart from those listed as priority, there are many other active people willing to receive the injection without government investing in creating demand as it has been for other innovations which came earlier such as daily tablets and other Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) options.
However, while reports show a lot of demand for Lenacapavir, there are concerns over sustainability of supplies given that the drug is still very pricey.
Speaking to URN in an interview, Dr Flavia Matovu Kiweewa, a Senior Research Scientist at Makerere University John Hopkins University (MUJHU) Research Collaboration, said currently the drug goes for 28,000 dollars per person per year in the United States, translating to more than a hundred million shillings, which many Ugandans cannot afford if they were to access privately without donations.
Kiweewa who was the Lead Researcher in the Lenacapavir studies in Uganda explained that there is ongoing global advocacy to ensure that the prices go lower, with options for manufacturing generics under way.
Information on the Lenacapavir Manufacturer Gilead Sciences website shows low-cost versions of the drug could be available by 2027. Estimates show these low-cost version generics will go for roughly 40 dollars per person per year.
In Uganda, Achii says, they are planning for 16 to 25 million dollars per year to be able to provide the drug until it becomes more available and accessible as its cost goes down.
With current limited doses, the official urges both health workers and clients not to put to waste what’s available saying the ministry is strengthening medicine surveillanceboth to ensure accountability for the dispensed drugs but also for regulation. She urges people to continue reporting any adverse reactions from using thedrug to the National Drug Authority-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
