Uganda to Roll Out Six-Month HIV Prevention Injection for High-Risk Groups

The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) has announced that Uganda is preparing to roll out an injectable form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), hailed as a potential game-changer in preventing HIV transmission, especially among young people.

According to Dr. Nelson Musoba, Director General of the Uganda AIDS Commission, the new long-acting injectable PrEP, known as lenacapavir, will be administered once every six months to HIV-negative individuals at high risk of infection. Uganda participated in the global research trials, and the Ministry of Health is finalizing guidelines on who should access it and how it will be distributed.

“Injectable PrEP will be a game-changer because once we interrupt transmission, ending AIDS by 2030 becomes achievable,” Dr. Musoba said. “It’s not a vaccine, but it’s very close to one. It will protect those at risk and stop new infections.”

The injectable joins existing HIV prevention options that include daily oral PrEP tablets, circumcision, condom use, and regular testing, a combination that forms Uganda’s HIV Combination Prevention Approach.

Uganda currently has about 1.5 million people living with HIV, and in 2024 alone, there were 37,000 new infections. More than 70% of these occurred among young people aged 15–25, with young women and girls making up four out of every five new cases.

Although the national HIV prevalence has dropped to 4.9%, the burden remains disproportionately high among women, at over 6%, compared to less than 3% among men.

To reach this most affected demographic, the Uganda AIDS Commission has partnered with Village Journey Africa, an association of bikers, to creatively spread HIV prevention messages.

“We chose bikers because motorbikes are the most popular mode of transport in Uganda, and the riders are mostly young people,” Dr. Musoba explained. “The President has instructed us to be creative in our communication. The bikers are energetic, make a unique sound, and attract attention, and when young people look at them, they will also receive HIV prevention messages.”

The collaboration is part of a nationwide campaign leading up to World AIDS Day 2025, which will be commemorated on December 1 in Bushenyi District, with President Yoweri Museveni expected as Chief Guest.

As part of the activities, the bikers will travel across the country, including to Mbale, Gulu, Masaka, and Mbarara, carrying a symbolic Torch of Hope.

“The torch symbolizes hope, that science has brought us treatment, testing, and prevention tools like PrEP,” Dr. Musoba said. “And scientists are still working; we are confident that a cure and a vaccine will come.”

With the introduction of injectable PrEP and a focus on innovative outreach through youth-centered campaigns, Uganda is taking a bold step toward achieving its goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.