Kenya Chosen for Early Deployment of Injectable HIV Prevention Drug Lenacapavir
The drug administered only twice a year and is seen as a game-changer for people who struggle with daily adherence, face stigma, or have limited access to health services.
The Ministry of Health says the injectable drug Lenacapavir will be available in Kenya by January 2026. Photo/Courtesy.
By Juliet Jerotich
The Ministry of Health says the injectable drug Lenacapavir will be available in Kenya by January 2026.
Kenya has been selected as one of the 9 early adopter countries for the rollout of Lenacapavir (LEN), a long-acting injectable drug for HIV prevention, following its approval by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Ministry of Health, through the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCOP), confirmed that it is working closely with various partners to fast-track the availability of the new drug, which is expected to be available in Kenya by January 2026.
“This strategic initiative marks a significant step toward our goal of ending HIV/AIDS by 2030, making this vision an increasingly attainable target,” a statement from NASCOP reads.
Lenacapavir was endorsed this week by the World Health Organization (WHO), which issued new guidelines recommending it as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for people at high risk of HIV infection.
The announcement was made during the 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025) on HIV Science in Kigali, Rwanda.
The drug administered only twice a year and is seen as a game-changer for people who struggle with daily adherence, face stigma, or have limited access to health services.
“While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, Lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General
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