HIV prevention drug exceeds expectations

The Gauteng Health Department says it has recorded a massive milestone in its programme to roll out the HIV prevention injectable drug, Lenacapavir.

It says it has comfortably surpassed its targets in the very first month of the rollout of the groundbreaking drug. The aim of the rollout is to provide additional protection to individuals at substantial risk of contracting HIV.

This has pushed South Africa closer to its goal to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

The department’s spokesperson Steve Mabona says, “The numbers are not lying, we surpassed our target of about 4000. We’re at about 6000, and we have already received the second consignment of our stock, which we’re not going to deplete. This will assist in the process to make sure that there’s no interruption when it comes to the rollout itself.”