In a landmark moment for Zimbabwe’s HIV response, the government officially launched lenacapavir (LEN) in Epworth, a high-density suburb on the outskirts of Harare — deliberately taking the breakthrough prevention drug to a community that embodies both vulnerability and resilience.
The six-month injectable HIV prevention drug was launched on Thursday by Health and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora, who described the day as a turning point in the national fight against HIV.
“Today marks an important day in Zimbabwe’s national response to HIV,” Mombeshora said.
“We gather here to launch Lenacapavir, a long-term injectable option for HIV prevention, and to show our commitment to protecting life and ending Aids as a public health threat.”.
The choice of Epworth was symbolic.
Authorities acknowledged that informal settlements and peri-urban communities often face barriers such as poverty, mobility and limited health infrastructure, which can restrict consistent access to prevention services.
By launching LEN there, the government underscored its commitment to equality, equity and inclusive service delivery.
“Access must not depend on your postcode,” a senior health official said.
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“Whether one lives in Epworth, a rural village or an urban suburb, prevention services must reach them.”
Developed by Gilead Sciences and approved for HIV prevention by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe in November 2025, Lenacapavir is nearly 100% effective and removes the burden of taking daily oral PrEP pills.
Funded by the United States government and The Global Fund, the first phase will target 46 000 high-risk individuals across 24 sites nationwide, including adolescent girls, young women and sex workers.
National Aids Council chief executive officer Bernard Madzima emphasised that equity will guide the rollout.
“We are adding another powerful tool to the toolbox,” Madzima said.
“We aren’t abandoning what works; we are making it better.”
Madzima said Zimbabwe has made tremendous progress in treatment, but prevention remains critical, particularly among adolescent girls and young women.
He said Lenacapavir gives the country an opportunity to close persistent gaps.
Madzima said the focus was to ensure that key populations are prioritised without discrimination and that services are accessible to all.
Zimbabwe has reduced HIV prevalence from 34% in the early 2000s to about 12% today and achieved the UNAids 95-95-95 targets.
However, new infections — especially among young women — remain a concern.
In Epworth, the community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Community leader Melody Dengu received the jab earlier this month.
“I have also (so far) gotten 12 other people to come and get injected,” she said.
Sixty-two-year-old Shuvai Rugare described the injection as a “game changer,” recalling the painful years when HIV, once nicknamed shuramatongo, claimed countless lives.
A sex worker who spoke anonymously said the injection provides reassurance in a high-risk profession.
“I do this work to feed my children. Getting the jab means I can protect myself and continue providing for my family,” she said.
To ensure no one is left behind, the Health ministry has pledged to intensify door-to-door outreach, integrate LEN into sexual and reproductive health services and strengthen partnerships with community-based organisations.
World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described Lenacapavir as “the next best thing to a vaccine” — a powerful endorsement of its potential.
