KENYA AMONG FIRST NATIONS TO ROLL OUT WHO APPROVED HIV PREVENTION INJECTION BY 2026

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the rollout of Lenacapavir (LEN), a long acting injectable medication for HIV prevention, with Kenya chosen as one of nine early adopter countries for its introduction. According to the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP), Lenacapavir will be available in Kenya by January 2026. In a landmark decision, WHO has released new guidelines recommending Lenacapavir be administered twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for preventing HIV. This move is expected to significantly reshape global HIV prevention strategies.

 Lenacapavir is the first twice-yearly injectable PrEP medication and offers a highly effective, long-acting alternative to daily oral PrEP and other shorter term methods. According to WHO, LEN will be especially beneficial for individuals at high risk of HIV who struggle with daily pill adherence, face stigma, or have limited access to healthcare. The release of these guidelines comes at a crucial time, as global HIV prevention efforts have stalled.

In 2024, 1.3 million new HIV infections were reported. By the end of 2024, around 40.8 million people were living with HIV worldwide, with approximately 65% of these cases in the WHO African Region. That year also saw around 630,000 HIV related deaths and 1.3 million new infections, including 120,000 among children. Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) continues to expand, with 31.6 million people receiving treatment in 2024, up from 30.3 million in 2023.