The Ministry of Health has announced that it will begin offering the Lenacapavir (PrEP) injection in public health facilities nationwide from July 1, giving people at high risk of HIV infection a new option to protect themselves.
Secretary for Health Administration, Bestone Chisamile, said the injection will be be administered just once every six months, making it one of the longest-acting HIV prevention methods available.
Chisamile said the rollout forms part of the government’s strategy to reduce new HIV infections and achieve its target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
“LEN will complement existing HIV prevention interventions including oral PrEP, CAB-LA injectable PrEP and condoms” reads part of the statement.
This follows Malawi’s introduction of oral PrEP in 2019 and CAB-LA injectable PrEP in 2023.
Lenacapavir is intended for people who are HIV-negative but face a high risk of contracting the virus.
PrEP, short for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is an antiretroviral (ARV) medicine taken by HIV-negative people to significantly reduce their risk of acquiring HIV before they are exposed to the virus.
