A Society of AIDS in Africa (SAA) board member on Wednesday commended Zimbabwe for setting the pace on the African continent and in the world in giving the green light the use of the long acting pre-exposure prophylaxis injectable Cabotegravir.
By Kudakwashe Pembere
SAA is the organiser for the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA).
The commendation comes hot on the heels of Zimbabwe’s medicines regulator, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ)’s nod to the utilisation of the Pr-EP.
Giving her remarks at the ICASA stakeholders’ workshop in Harare, SAA Treasurer Dr Morenike Oluwatoyin Ukpong lauded Zimbabwe for paving way to other African countries to take up this HIV preventive method.
Zimbabwe congrats. Thanka for leading Africa. Thanks for leading many high income countries. Thanks for being the first in the space and we have to celebrate that,” she said.
With many confusing this HIV prevention tool to be for use amongst men who have sex with men, Dr Ukpong explained that that Cabotegravir as a PrEP tool for prevention of new infections.
“That means if I am HIV negative, I could use PrEP especially if I am engaging in the work of risky behaviour that can increase the risk. That doesn’t mean PrEP is for same sex people.
“There might be people in same sex relationships that have low risk risk behaviour and may benefit from other options of PrEP. And there might be a lot of persons not in same sex relationships that engage in high risk behaviours. Behaviors that increase the risk of getting HIV infections.
“So what we have seen happen with injectable is that the range of options to be able to prevent one’s self from re-infection has expanded by inclusion of the injectable into that pot,” she said. “It shouldn’t be linked to same sex relationships. Anybody who feels at risk of HIV whether they are in a same sex relationship or not should be able to access it.”
Until now, CAB-LA has only received regulatory approval in 2 high-income countries. First, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its use for HIV prevention in December 2021. In August 2022, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) was the second national regulatory body to approve CAB-LA. Zimbabwe is the first country in Africa and first low- and middle-income country to do so.
“WHO welcomes the news that Zimbabwe has approved the use of CAB-LA, which will pave the way for its use, providing more safe and effective options for HIV prevention,” said Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes.
