The first counties set to receive the injections are Mombasa, Kilifi, Machakos, Nairobi, Kajiado, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Kakamega, Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay, Kisii and Kiambu.
By Maureen KinyanjuiLenacapavir, available as 300 mg tablets and a 464 mg injectable solution, works by disrupting key stages of the HIV lifecycle, preventing the virus from establishing infection.
By Maureen KinyanjuiLenacapavir, which received World Health Organization (WHO) endorsement in July 2025 and prequalification in October, delivers protection with just two shots per year. Uganda’s National Drug Authority described the approval as a “game changer” in a nation where roughly 5.4 per cent of adults live with HIV.
By Maureen KinyanjuiThe approval signals a new era for HIV prevention efforts in Africa’s most affected nation, where millions continue to live with the virus. Developed by US biopharmaceutical firm Gilead Sciences, lenacapavir was submitted for approval in March 2025 and has now been officially registered for use among HIV-negative adults and adolescents at high risk of infection.
By Maureen Kinyanjui