Kenya Recommends Registration of Long-Acting HIV Prevention Drug Lenacapavir
Health Updated: 10 January 2026 17:00 EAT
Kenya’s Ministry of Health has recommended the registration of Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention medicine, in a move seen as a major boost to the country’s fight against new infections.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the recommendation was made through the Pharmacy and Poisons Board after a comprehensive review of the drug’s safety, quality and effectiveness in line with national and international standards.
The approval covers two formulations of Lenacapavir: a 300-milligram oral tablet and a 464-milligram injectable option intended for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis among HIV-negative individuals at high risk of infection.
The injectable version is administered only twice a year, offering a significant alternative to daily oral PrEP regimens that many users struggle to adhere to consistently.
Health officials believe the long-acting nature of the drug could improve uptake and adherence, particularly among populations facing stigma or challenges linked to daily medication use.
Kenya is among the first countries in Africa to move toward registering Lenacapavir, placing it at the forefront of adopting new biomedical innovations for HIV prevention on the continent.
The Ministry of Health has emphasized that Lenacapavir is not a cure or a traditional vaccine, but a preventive medicine that complements existing HIV prevention strategies.
Preparations are underway to integrate the drug into national HIV prevention programmes once regulatory processes are completed, including training of healthcare workers and planning for distribution.
Public health experts have welcomed the recommendation, describing it as a potentially transformative step that could help reduce new HIV infections and strengthen Kenya’s long-term HIV response.
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD