Kenya Launches HIV Prevention Shot with 99.9% Success Rate

Samson Mutua, 27, became the first person in Kenya to receive a twice-yearly injection that could change the course of HIV prevention in Africa.

Kenya launched its rollout of lenacapavir on Thursday in a Nairobi neighborhood, marking a major milestone in the fight against HIV. The drug reduces HIV transmission risk by more than 99.9 percent with just two shots per year.

"Today is a moment of hope for thousands of Kenyan families," Health Minister Aden Duale said during the launch. He announced the drug will be provided free to all recipients.

Kenya received its first batch of 21,000 doses last week through a partnership with manufacturer Gilead Sciences and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. The country joins South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia in offering the prevention treatment across nine selected African nations.

The timing matters deeply for Kenya's young people. Roughly 1.3 million Kenyans live with HIV, with the highest rates among those aged 15 to 24.

For 23-year-old Peace Lawrence, a sex worker in Nairobi, the injection brings relief she couldn't find with daily pills. "Having sex with multiple partners always leaves me in fear," she told reporters, explaining how she often forgot to take her oral prevention medication.

The Ripple Effect

The twice-yearly schedule solves a problem that has limited HIV prevention for years. Carol Njomo, a community health worker in Kawangware where the first doses were given, said the injection offers greater privacy than regular clinic visits for treatment.

Young adults no longer need to remember daily pills or make frequent trips to health centers. The simple schedule removes barriers that have kept effective prevention out of reach for vulnerable populations.

"This is an added protection," Mutua said after receiving his injection, speaking for thousands who will now have access to prevention that fits their lives.

The rollout arrives as African countries face United States aid cuts affecting HIV programs across the continent, making Kenya's commitment to free access even more significant. Minister Duale emphasized that "this innovation gives us renewed strength in our national fight against HIV."

Kenya's success could pave the way for expanded access across Africa, where prevention efforts have long struggled with compliance and accessibility challenges.