Namibia Registers Long-Acting HIV Prevention Option in Public Health Milestone

Namibia Registers Long-Acting HIV Prevention Option in Public Health Milestone. Namibia’s Ministry of Health and Social Services has announced the successful registration of lenacapavir, described as one of the first long-acting HIV prevention medicines to be registered in the country.

The medication is administered as a long-acting injectable and requires two doses per year, offering an alternative to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis, which involves daily tablets. Thousands of people in Namibia are currently using oral PrEP as part of HIV prevention efforts.

Health authorities said the registration reflects Namibia’s continued focus on strengthening its HIV response through new prevention technologies. South Africa and Zambia have also registered the long-acting option, placing Namibia among the early adopters on the continent.

Namibia has previously reached the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, which measure the proportion of people living with HIV who know their status, are on treatment and have achieved viral suppression. Despite this progress, new HIV infections continue to occur, highlighting the need for additional prevention tools.

The Minister of Health and Social Services said the development represents a scientific advance with the potential to support improved adherence and expand prevention choices. However, the Minister also raised concerns about affordability, noting that the reported global list price of the medicine remains high. According to the Ministry, this level of pricing presents challenges for broad access in African settings.

In response, the Ministry has begun engaging with regional stakeholders, including the Director General of the African Medicines Agency, to advocate for more affordable pricing. The goal is to enable sustainable inclusion of the new prevention option in public health programmes without placing strain on national HIV response budgets.

The Ministry said it will continue to push for equitable access to health innovations, emphasising that new medical technologies should be accessible to all who need them. Further updates are expected as discussions on pricing and implementation continue.