The injectable drug, lenacapavir, is expected to be introduced in the last quarter of the year after the completion of regulatory approvals and preparations at health facilities. The medication is administered once every six months and will be incorporated into the country's existing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme.
Dr Zephanie Nzeyimana, the HIV Key Population Strategic Officer at RBC, told The New Times that the planned timeline allows sufficient time to ensure the health system is ready for the new prevention method.
'Lenacapavir is expected to be available in the country in quarter four of this year. There are still processes that need to be finalised before it can be introduced at health facilities,' he said.
Once rolled out, the injection will be offered alongside existing PrEP options, including daily oral PrEP and long-acting injectable cabotegravir. Authorities say the addition of lenacapavir will give people more choice, which could help improve access to and sustained use of HIV prevention services.
Eligibility for the six-month injection will be determined using a risk-based approach. Priority will be given to people at substantial risk of HIV infection, including female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and HIV-negative individuals in sero-discordant relationships, where one partner is living with HIV and the other is not.
However, Dr Nzeyimana noted that access will not be limited to these groups. Healthcare providers will assess individual risk based on behavioural and epidemiological factors to identify others who could benefit from the drug.
Currently, Rwanda provides two main types of HIV prevention medication: a daily oral pill and a bimonthly injectable option that is now being rolled out in Kigali. The new biannual injection is expected to reduce dosing frequency and improve adherence, particularly among key populations at high risk of HIV.
Lenacapavir, developed by U.S. pharmaceutical firm Gilead Sciences, has undergone clinical trials and has been approved to provide continuous HIV prevention for six months per injection. Individuals who receive the injection on schedule remain fully protected throughout that period. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended its use during the 13th International AIDS Society Conference held in Kigali in July last year.
The WHO recommendation followed the drug's first global approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration on June 18, 2025.
RBC has confirmed that lenacapavir will be provided free of charge, regardless of a person's ability to pay. To support the rollout, RBC and its partners plan to train healthcare providers and conduct community outreach to raise awareness about the new prevention option and address potential misinformation.
In Rwanda, about 3,200 people contract HIV each year, while 2,600 die from AIDS-related illnesses. However, sustained prevention and treatment efforts have led to an 82 per cent reduction in new infections and an 86 per cent decline in HIV-related deaths over the past decade.
Rwanda's move follows similar steps taken across Southern and Eastern Africa. Countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Eswatini have already completed regulatory approvals and received initial shipments of lenacapavir, while Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda have also authorised its use. Kenya and Namibia are among those finalising preparations or regulatory applications.
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