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The Government of Zambia received the first stock of the highly anticipated, twice-yearly injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), long-acting medication at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka on 1 September 2026. The shipment was officially received by the Ministry of Health's Permanent Secretary for Donor Coordination, George Sinyangwe, alongside the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, highlighting a continued strategic health partnership between the two countries.
Lenacapavir’s efficacy has been established, having been found to be almost 100% working in preventing HIV infection. It offers the country an important opportunity to build on its significant progress in the HIV response and advance efforts to end AIDS in Zambia.
UNAIDS will work with partners, including providing data and evidence on populations that are at high risk of acquiring HIV, to guide the rollout of Lenacapavir and scale up access with the aim of reaching 82 000 people by the end of 2026 across selected 542 health facilities.
UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Anne Githuku-Shongwe, welcomed the arrival of the medicines. “This collaboration demonstrates what is possible when political leadership, global solidarity, communities, science and partners come together around a common goal. The rollout of Lenacapavir will bring Zambia one step closer to ending AIDS as a public health threat.” said Anne Githuku-Shongwe.
Approximately 21 000 of the people to benefit from Lenacapavir are pregnant and breastfeeding women which will boost efforts to protect maternal health and eliminate vertical transmission of HIV which is estimated to be at around 6% in Zambia.
At the event marking the arrival of the shipment on 1 September, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia said that the US was proud to stand with Zambia in rolling out Lenacapavir, signaling a longstanding partnership in the country's HIV response through the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest number of people living with HIV, home to 26.3 million of the 41 million people living with HIV globally. Zambia joins Eswatini, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa as the first countries in the region to receive the ground-breaking HIV prevention medicine.
In Zambia, there were 23 000 new HIV infections in 2025, with adolescents and young people accounting for 37% of new annual HIV infections - of whom 29% are adolescent girls and young women - who continue to face disproportionate vulnerability to HIV in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Having access to discreet, long-acting prevention will offer an important additional HIV prevention to them.
“The introduction of Lenacapavir gives us an opportunity to build on that progress and ensure that prevention reaches the people who need it most, particularly adolescent girls and young women.” said Ms Githuku-Shongwe.
Lenacapavir will be integrated into Zambia’s broader combination HIV prevention approach. UNAIDS will offer strategic coordination, technical advice and advocacy to ensure the roll out of Lenacapavir is guided by evidence and equity, to reach people who will benefit most.
UNAIDS has been working closely with Zambia over many years, supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen its national HIV response. The partnership includes support for policy development, strategic information, sustainability, community engagement, and efforts to ensure that HIV services reach people who are most vulnerable. Lenacapavir will be an important part of that next chapter.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
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