Over 100 health facilities across the country are running out of supplies of Lenacapavir -a twice-yearly, long-acting HIV prevention drug.
This publication understands that the demand for the new HIV prevention drug in Uganda has exceeded the available supply, creating hope for more donations.
The new HIV drug is expanding Uganda’s HIV prevention toolkit, offering people at substantial risk of HIV infection an alternative to daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP.
On February 24, 2026, Uganda received an initial consignment of 19,200 doses of Lenacapavir, followed by secured commitments for an additional 60,000 doses.
In developed countries, injectable lenacapavir, is priced at about $28,218 (Shs104 million) annually, while in low- and middle-income countries, generic versions cost around $46 (about Shs170,000) per year, through global health access partnerships.
Investigations by this publication have found that interest in lenacapavir, a biannual injectable HIV prevention drug, is growing among adult Ugandans, with more men joining women in exploring this new option as the country fights back in the face of rising infections.
Dr Herbert Kadama, the Ministry of Health’s coordinator for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), explained that women still account for the majority of people receiving the injection, but uptake among men is growing.
‘Overall, around 56 percent of recipients are female compared to 44 percent are male,’ Dr Kadama said in an interview with this publication.
He added that the gender pattern changes with age, with men accounting for a larger proportion of recipients aged 35 and above, while women are more represented among younger age groups.
Dr Kadama explained the ministry had not specifically collected information on why more women are taking up lenacapavir, but noted that women were already the largest users of HIV prevention services before the introduction of the injectable.
‘Even before lenacapavir came, the biggest people who were taking it were female. But what we are seeing is that more males are coming on board,’ he said.
The revelation comes as Uganda continues to expand access to lenacapavir, a long-acting form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) administered every six months to people at substantial risk of acquiring HIV.
Uganda launched the national rollout in April, initially targeting high-burden areas and populations at increased risk of HIV infection. The first phase covered about 103-104 health facilities, with plans to expand to about 300 facilities by December 2026.
The medicine has generated considerable public interest, with earlier reports indicating that demand had begun exceeding available stocks at some facilities.
7,600 doses expected
Dr Kadama said the ministry expects another consignment of lenacapavir this month to expand access.
‘We are expecting something about 7,600, around there. This batch will cater for new administrations since the second doses for the previous cohort (those that got the first doses already) are available,’ he said.
Uganda is introducing the new prevention tool against a backdrop of a substantial HIV burden. The Uganda AIDS Commission estimates that about 1.5 million people are living with HIV in the country, with national HIV prevalence at about 4.9 per cent.
The country recorded about 37,000 new HIV infections in 2024, down from about 38,150 in 2023 and 96,000 in 2010. AIDS-related deaths also fell from 56,000 in 2010 to about 20,000 in 2024, representing a 64 per cent decline.
Uganda has also made progress in HIV treatment, with the latest figures presented by the Uganda AIDS Commission showing that 94 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 90 per cent are on antiretroviral treatment, and 96 per cent of those on treatment are virally suppressed.
However, health officials continue to push for stronger prevention as new infections remain high, particularly among young women and other populations at increased risk.
Lenacapavir was officially launched in Uganda on April 17, 2026. Developed by Gilead Sciences, the long-acting drug has demonstrated very high levels of protection against HIV in clinical trials and requires just one injection every six months. Uganda’s rollout adds it to existing prevention options including daily oral PrEP, condoms and injectable cabotegravir.
The strong response to the injection, Dr Kadama said, suggests that people are willing to adopt HIV prevention methods that are less frequent than daily pills.
‘People are very positive about taking it. People have come up to take it. So many people,’ he said.
How Lenacapavir works
Lenacapavir belongs to a newer class of HIV medicines known as capsid inhibitors.
According to Dr Flavia Matovu Kiweewa of the Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, the drug works at different stages of the HIV life cycle by interfering with the virus’s capsid, the protective covering surrounding the virus.
‘Lenacapavir changes the shape and function of the capsid, interfering with the different stages of the HIV life cycle so that the virus cannot successfully make copies of itself,’ Kiweewa explains.
The drug is administered under the skin, where it forms a small deposit and is slowly released into the body over a period of about six months.
‘The drug is stored in the subcutaneous tissue and slowly released over time. By the time someone is exposed to HIV, there is enough drug circulating in the body to prevent the virus from establishing infection,’ she says.
Unlike daily oral PrEP, the injection only needs to be administered twice a year. Kiweewa says this is particularly important for people who find daily medication difficult because of forgetfulness, stigma, travel or lifestyle challenges.
‘For many people, taking a pill every day is difficult. A six-month injection provides a practical alternative while maintaining very strong protection against HIV,’ she says.
Lenacapavir was tested in the PURPOSE One study, which involved about 5,000 adolescent girls and young women in Uganda and South Africa. The PURPOSE Two study evaluated Lenacapavir among men who have sex with men, transgender people and other populations at substantial risk of acquiring HIV.
Kiweewa says the results from the studies demonstrated almost complete protection against HIV infection among participants.
‘The results from both studies were highly consistent and showed almost 100 percent protection against HIV infection among participants,’ she says.
What beneficiaries say
Mr Michael Elvis Tusubira, a social worker at the National STD Unit at Mulago, was among the first beneficiaries after the facility received its initial 40 doses. Tusubira, who considers himself at substantial risk of HIV infection because of his work and lifestyle, had previously used oral PrEP and long-acting Cabotegravir, which is administered every two months.
He says Lenacapavir offered him another option that better suited his lifestyle with fewer clinic visits and no daily pill burden.
‘For me, the fact that I only have to come back after six months gives me a lot of convenience. It means I don’t have to keep remembering to take a pill every day or make frequent visits to the health facility for refills,’ Tusubira says.
He was also encouraged by the experience of receiving the injection.
‘The injection process was straightforward. I experienced some swelling at the injection site, but it disappeared within a few days, and knowing that I have protection for six months gives me confidence,’ he says.
Tusubira believes wider access to Lenacapavir could encourage more people to take up HIV prevention without feeling judged.
‘People should be able to choose what works for them without being stigmatized. Deep down, we all know our vices, so before you think about how society will view you, just be honest with yourself because it’s you that will carry the burden of living with HIV,’ he says.
At the MARPI Clinic, peer educator Saidi Katende has also embraced the new prevention option. He initially missed out when the first doses of Lenacapavir were distributed, but registered again and eventually received the injection.
‘I was not lucky with the first batch, but I registered again and got the opportunity. I was happy because I was relieved from the pill burden and from the fear of what I had to deal with every day at the clinic,’ Katende says.
Katende has spent years encouraging people to protect themselves against HIV, influenced in part by his experience caring for an aunt who died from AIDS. As someone who regularly interacts with people living with HIV, he has used different forms of PrEP over the years.
For him, the biggest challenge remains stigma.
‘Some people fear taking PrEP because they think others will assume they are HIV-positive or that they are engaging in risky behaviour. But prevention is a responsible health decision,’ he says.
Katende is now encouraging people who believe they may be at risk to seek professional advice rather than allow stigma or misinformation to prevent them from accessing HIV prevention services.
Who can receive Lenacapavir?
Under Uganda’s initial rollout, Lenacapavir is being prioritized for people considered to be at substantial risk of HIV infection.
These include adolescent girls and young women, people in serodiscordant relationships, pregnant and breastfeeding women, female sex workers and their clients, fishermen, long-distance truck drivers, people in multiple sexual relationships, boda boda riders, and military and security personnel.
The drug is provided at no clinical cost at the moment to eligible beneficiaries through selected public health facilities.
Dr Herbert Kadama, the Ministry of Health’s Coordinator for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, says an individual who believes they are at risk should seek professional advice and undergo the required screening before receiving the injection.
‘The best person to assess their risk is the individual. If someone feels they are at risk of contracting HIV, they can walk into a health facility and be assessed in line with the screening guidelines,’ Kadama says.
UAC explains
Dr Vincent Bagambe, the director of Planning and Strategic Communication at the Uganda AIDS Commission, says Lenacapavir should be viewed as another HIV prevention tool.
‘Lenacapavir will not be a magic bullet. We need a combination of prevention interventions, and people should continue using the prevention method that works for them,’ Bagambe says.
He encourages people who do not have access to Lenacapavir to continue using other proven HIV prevention measures.
Dr Kadama also cautions that Lenacapavir protects against HIV
acquisition but does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections, hepatitis B or unintended pregnancies.
‘Lenacapavir protects against HIV, but it does not protect against STIs or pregnancy. People should continue with comprehensive prevention, including condom use, regular HIV testing and seeking treatment when necessary,’ Kadama says.
While adolescent girls and young women remain a major focus because of the disproportionate burden of new infections, researchers say the benefits of Lenacapavir will only be realized if the drug reaches people who need it most.
Kiweewa says information and access gaps must be addressed, particularly among vulnerable women and girls in rural and low- income communities.
‘We need to reach the vulnerable people, girls in bars, truck drivers and others who may have multiple exposures. These are the people who need to know that this option is available to them,’ she says.
The UNAIDS Country Director for Uganda, Jacqueline Makokha, says the introduction of Lenacapavir is significant because it gives people more choices.
‘This gives an option to people who may not want oral PrEP, the dapivirine vaginal ring or condoms. Expanding choices is important because people are different and what works for one person may not work for another,’ Makokha explained.