Nearly 200,000 lenacapavir shots given across Africa, but supply issues pose challenges

Lenacapavir – the highly effective HIV prevention medication that only requires two shots a year – is currently rolling out across African countries with a high burden of HIV. Initial data from countries such as Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique and Kenya were shared at the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Demand is already outpacing supply in some instances, with ambitious targets set for 2026 and beyond.