By Michael Gwarisa
Zimbabwe has been selected as one of ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a revolutionary new HIV prevention drug that is being hailed as a game-changer in the global fight against HIV.
The announcement was made on the official U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe Facebook page, marking a historic milestone in the country’s decades-long battle to curb new HIV infections.
Lenacapavir, developed by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences in partnership with the Global Fund, is the world’s first twice-yearly HIV prevention medicine. Clinical trial data shows that more than 99% of people on lenacapavir remained HIV negative, underscoring its potential to drastically reduce new infections and save millions of lives worldwide.
This is more than medicine, it’s a pathway to a safer, stronger, and healthier future,” the Embassy statement read.
According to the U.S. Embassy, the Zimbabwe rollout will prioritize pregnant and breastfeeding women, a demographic highly vulnerable to HIV transmission. The program will also focus on strengthening local healthcare systems to empower Zimbabwe to lead its own fight against HIV while ensuring that lenacapavir is affordable and accessible so that no one is left behind.
The Embassy described the initiative as a demonstration of American leadership at its best—driving innovation, fostering global partnerships, and building resilient communities.
With Zimbabwe still among the countries with a high HIV burden, the introduction of lenacapavir is expected to significantly accelerate progress toward the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
