Ugandan experts urge caution on HIV prevention injection

Ugandan health experts urged Lenacapavir recipients in Kampala to keep to scheduled doses and use other HIV prevention methods, saying the twice-yearly injection is not a vaccine, allAfrica reported.

The initial recipients are due to receive a second dose in October. Dr Vincent Bagambe, Policy Planning and Strategic Manager at the Uganda AIDS Commission, said users must return on prescribed dates to maintain optimal drug levels in their blood.

Bagambe said Uganda hopes to cut 37,000 new HIV infections recorded each year to fewer than 10,000 by 2030. He said that outcome depends on compliance with the dosing schedule needed to guarantee protection.

Uganda received 19,200 doses at the launch of the prevention option in April, supplied to 103 health facilities. The Ministry of Health said the drug was intended for people at highest risk, including sex workers, discordant couples, fisherfolk and pregnant women engaging in risky behavior. 60 percent of facilities that received the first batch have received second batches.

Uganda expects another 19,200 donated doses, but Dr Peter Mudiope, who heads HIV Prevention in the Ministry of Health, told URN earlier that a June consignment was delayed after Gilead Sciences cited shortages of a complementary loading-dose tablet. Mudiope said Lenacapavir costs $28,000 per dose and Uganda can for now rely only on more donations from the Global Fund and the American government, while the public should continue using condoms, Pre and Post Exposure Prophylaxis tablets and being faithful.