Long-acting HIV prevention jab records no major health concerns

Lenacapavir rollout in Kenya shows minimal side effects, with only mild injection pain reported. [File Courtesy]

No major adverse effects have been reported since the rollout of the long-acting HIV prevention injection, Lenacapavir, a month ago.

The main side effect is mild pain at the injection site, which subsides within two to three days.

According to experts, this is because the drug is administered as a bolus (single large dose) injection, designed to remain in the body for at least six months, releasing slowly over time. “The drug is safe. The only reported side effect is pain at the injection site, which is common with most injections,” said Homa Bay County AIDS and STIs Control Coordinator, Stephen Omondi, in an interview with The Standard.

His Kajiado counterpart, Alice Njoroge, echoed that only mild pain has been reported.

The drug was officially launched in Kenya on February 26, 2026, with the first batch distributed to 15 counties, including Kisumu, Mombasa, Nairobi, Homa Bay, Siaya, Kisii, Kajiado, Busia, Machakos, Kiambu, Uasin Gishu, Kakamega, Nakuru and Kisii. Only 10 facilities per county were designated to balance supply and demand. Uptake has steadily increased. 

In Homa Bay, Lenacapavir is offered to individuals already on PrEP or those identified as high risk, including adolescents and pregnant women, under routine HIV programmes.

Since the launch of the jab, its uptake across the country has been on a steady trajectory.

Omondi said the injection is offered under the routine HIV programme at the facility level, where sensitisation takes place. “If we publicise the injectable too much, we shall deplete our stock within a day,” he said.

At the facility, people are expected to choose their preferred option and are free to switch between injectable PrEP or oral pills.

Those screened and found to be at high risk, including adolescents and pregnant women, are given the injection. “Risk assessment and screening are conducted, and if an individual, especially a pregnant woman, is unsure of her spouse’s status, she is provided with the injection,” Omondi explained.

The county has administered 120 doses of Lenacapavir from a total of 1,200, alongside 600 doses of Cabotegravir, a two-month injectable.

The preference for the type of HIV prevention method at the facility level, according to the official, depends on individual preference. “The drug is given to whoever is at risk. We offer it among other choices that are there, for instance, a daily pill, two months of injectable and six months of Lenacapavir,” said Omondi. 

In Kajiado, most pregnant women prefer oral PrEP over injections, citing control and comfort. High demand has led to the redistribution of stock while waiting for additional supply. Kajiado received 655 doses of Lenacapavir and 344 doses of Cabotegravir, with fewer than 20 Cabotegravir doses administered so far.

Lenacapavir requires an initial double injection plus oral PrEP tablets during the first visit for rapid protection, followed by a single two-injection dose every six months. It aims to address pill fatigue among users.

The national rollout, launched at Rituta Health Centre in Nairobi, is part of Kenya’s efforts to end new HIV infections by 2030. Kenya received 21,000 doses of Lenacapavir and 18,000 doses of Cabotegravir. Lenacapavir complements existing prevention methods, including Cabotegravir and daily oral PrEP.

Kenya continues to face a high HIV burden. Data from the National Syndemic Disease Control Council shows 19,991 new infections in 2024, up 19 per cent from 16,752 in 2023.

Experts emphasise that Lenacapavir offers an additional, long-acting prevention option, increasing choices for those at risk and supporting Kenya’s strategy to reduce new infections.