NAIROBI, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health has received an initial consignment of 21,000 starter doses of Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable drug for HIV prevention.
Patrick Amoth, director general for health at the ministry, received the consignment on Tuesday evening in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. He said the first phase of the rollout of Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, will begin in early March.
"The medicine works by blocking critical stages of the HIV life cycle, preventing the virus from establishing infection in the body. Its greatest advantage is that it is administered only twice a year, offering six months of protection per dose," Amoth said, emphasizing that the medicine is designed for HIV-negative individuals.
He said the shipment represents a significant milestone in expanding access to next-generation HIV prevention technologies across the region, as several African countries prepare to introduce the intervention. Kenya expects an additional 12,000 continuation doses by April to ensure uninterrupted treatment for those who begin the injections.
Amoth said the ministry will implement a phased, evidence-driven rollout guided by epidemiological trends and health system readiness. Phase one will target 15 high-burden counties, followed by two additional phases to progressively expand coverage nationwide, ensuring service preparedness, reliable commodity supply, and sustainable scale-up.
Kenya has been witnessing a sharp increase in HIV cases, with more than 20,105 new infections reported in 2025, according to the health ministry. The country's HIV prevalence stands at about 3.7 percent, with about 1.34 million people currently on antiretroviral treatment.
"Of particular concern is the fact that 41 percent of new HIV infections occur among young people below the age of 24 years, underscoring the urgent need for novel prevention strategies," Amoth said.
Lenacapavir is expected to be offered at an estimated annual cost of about 7,800 shillings (about 60 U.S. dollars) per patient, a substantial reduction from the previous price of about 42,000 dollars.
In July 2025, Kenya was selected among the first nine countries to introduce Lenacapavir. ■