Johannesburg – The Gauteng Department of Health is launching the phased rollout of Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention medicine, at 133 healthcare facilities across the province.
The twice-yearly injection is part of a nationwide rollout initiative announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa to expand HIV prevention options and accelerate progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
President Ramaphosa and Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi presided over the launch at Lilian Ngoyi Stadium in Mpumalanga on Friday, 5 June 2026, calling it a defining moment in the fight against AIDS.
The department has announced that the rollout of Lenacapavir in the province begins tomorrow, Monday, 8 June 2026.
- Stock allocation: Gauteng has been allocated enough doses to initiate 56 079 clients by March 2027, with 18,809 doses already distributed to districts.
- Facilities: 133 sites across Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Sedibeng, and the West Rand.
- Phase one of the rollout will prioritise: Adolescent girls and young women, adolescent boys and young men, sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender persons, people who inject drugs, and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- To prepare for implementation: The Department has trained healthcare workers, pharmacists, programme managers and data personnel, established monitoring and reporting systems, and distributed clinical guidelines to support safe and effective implementation of the programme.
What Lenacapavir Offers
Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), administered once every six months.
It provides an alternative for individuals who struggle with daily oral HIV prevention medication.
The injection complements existing prevention methods such as oral PrEP, HIV testing, condoms, voluntary medical male circumcision, and post-exposure prophylaxis.
Public Awareness Campaign
To ensure communities understand the new option, the department will run community dialogues, facility activations, radio campaigns, peer educator programmes, and social media initiatives.
Officials stress that Lenacapavir is part of a comprehensive HIV prevention package and does not replace other measures like condom use or HIV testing.
Call to Action
Members of the public who believe they may benefit from HIV prevention services are encouraged to visit participating healthcare facilities for information, HIV testing, and screening for eligibility.
Meanwhile, UNAIDS has hailed South Africa’s historic national rollout of Lenacapavir, the world’s first large-scale public programme of the twice-yearly HIV prevention injection.
The programme will provide Lenacapavir at 360 facilities across six provinces and 24 high-burden districts, aiming to reach one million people by 2027 and three million within three years.
Backed by R1.3 billion from the Global Fund and CIFF, the rollout complements government funding.
UNAIDS officials praised the prioritisation of adolescent girls, young women, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who use drugs.
They also welcomed talks with Gilead Sciences on local generic production to expand access.
South Africa recorded 150 000 new HIV infections in 2024, with adolescent girls and young women accounting for over 71 000 cases.
UNAIDS modelling shows reaching one million people with Lenacapavir could prevent 30 000 infections annually, potentially accelerating the end of AIDS by up to a decade.
