Kenya is set to introduce a new HIV-prevention drug in March across 15 high-priority regions, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday, February 18, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to curb new infections.
The drug, lenacapavir, is administered twice a year and has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 percent. Although often described as vaccine-like due to its high level of protection, it is classified as a chemical drug because it does not stimulate the immune system in the way traditional vaccines do.
Kenya is among nine African countries selected last year to roll out lenacapavir. Implementation has already begun in South Africa, Eswatini and Zambia since December. According to 2024 data from UNAIDS, eastern and southern Africa account for around 52 percent of the 40.8 million people living with HIV globally.
Kenya received its first shipment of 21,000 doses on Tuesday, February 17, under an agreement with the drug’s manufacturer, Gilead Sciences, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.
