KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane
Image: FILE
The Department of Health is taking another step in the fight against HIV with the rollout of injectable PrEP lenacapavir, set to begin this year.
About 37,000 doses of the bi-annual HIV prevention medication have been procured by the national government, and the rollout is expected to start mid-year, this is according to information provided by the Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal to members of the Health Portfolio Committee.
Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane stated, “The first thing I want to brief the committee on is the matter of lenacapavir, which is a bi-annual injectable PrEP that we, as a government, have started buying. We, as a province, have been preparing the community and society so that when the injectables eventually come to the province, communities are aware and able to utilise the injectable.”
She said they have been informed that the rollout is going to start mid-year and that there are 37,000 doses being bought by the national government, which is something the minister will have to confirm.
“The doses received will be insufficient for the entire country; only 150 clinics will have access to the injectables. The implementation moving forward will be incremental, depending on the allocation we get from the national Department of Health.
“We have been discussing this for six months to ensure communities become familiar with the fact that they have an option. They could either take the daily pill or choose the injectable that is administered once every six months.”
She mentioned that there is serious interest in the community for the treatment, and they are putting plans in place for an official rollout after informing the communities of the sites where the treatment would be available.
Chairperson of the committee Dr Imran Keeka said this was an important step in addressing the issue.
He said initially, availability will be limited due to constrained national supply. However, given that KwaZulu-Natal remains at the epicentre of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, it is anticipated that the province will receive a significant allocation – the lion’s share, if we can call it that. Priority access is expected to focus on high-risk groups before broader public availability is rolled out.
"This development must be welcomed. At our next engagement with the MEC, we will continue advocating for increased access and a wider rollout across the province. It is hoped that the MEC will take our representation to the National Health Council to ensure we receive more doses over time," Keeka said.
For more stories from The Mercury, click the link THE MERCURY