Last Friday, 17 April 2026 marked a historic milestone for HIV prevention in Lira, with the launch of twice-yearly injectable Lenacapavir for PrEP. The venue of the event was the Lira Regional Referral Hospital grounds and hosted by the Ministry of Health.
This breakthrough traces back to early engagement with Gilead Sciences in 2017 and key community discussions at International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa 2019, demonstrating the impact of sustained collaboration between researchers, Ministry of Health, partners, and communities.
During the event, Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero announced that Lira will be the first district to receive Lenacapavir doses. Guests also witnessed the launch of Uganda’s National Guidelines for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), alongside continued sensitisation that Lenacapavir is a form of PrEP and not a vaccine.
Members of the event planning committee were awarded certificates of appreciation for an excellently executed event.
MU-JHU Care Ltd is proud to have contributed to this historic achievement. Congratulations to Dr. Flavia Matovu Kiweewa and the PURPOSE 1 study team.
