LIMITED LENACAPAVIR ROLLOUT PILES PRESSURE ON WEST NILE HEALTH FACILITIES

By Morish Dramadri

Arua city

The selective rollout of Lenacapavir, Uganda’s newly introduced long-acting HIV prevention drug, is placing mounting pressure on the few health facilities offering the medicine in the West Nile sub-region, as demand continues to outstrip the available supply.

In April this year, the Ministry of Health officially launched Lenacapavir, a breakthrough HIV prevention injection administered only twice a year, before introducing it in about 104 health facilities across the country. The phased rollout, however, has left several districts in West Nile without access to the medicine, forcing eligible clients to travel long distances in search of the drug.

The initial rollout covered about 104 health facilities nationwide, targeting areas with the highest HIV burden before gradual expansion to the rest of the country. The first phase primarily focused on districts in Central Uganda, Kampala Metropolitan Area, Busoga, Acholi, Karamoja, parts of Western Uganda, and selected high-prevalence districts across the country, leaving many districts in West Nile yet to receive the medicine.

Maracha District is among the areas yet to benefit from the rollout.

Dr. Paul Onzubo, the Maracha District Health Officer, said the district has not received any consignment of Lenacapavir since the national launch. “We have not received the drug. At least if Maracha had received it, I think I would have been in the know,” Dr. Onzubo said.

Available reports indicate that Yumbe District is among the pilot districts selected to offer Lenacapavir, with Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital and Yumbe Health Centre IV designated as the initial service points.

However, even in the pilot district, health officials say demand has quickly exceeded supply.

Dr. George Angupale Okoboa, the Yumbe District Health Officer, revealed that the district has so far received only 60 doses since April, all of which have already been administered.

“Yumbe District started receiving Lenacapavir in April this year. In total, the district has received 60 doses, and these were supplied only to Yumbe Health Centre IV. All the doses have already been used, and currently the demand has outweighed the supply,” Dr. Okoboa explained.

Health officials say the limited availability has increased pressure on the few facilities offering the service, with many people seeking the highly effective HIV prevention drug.

Meanwhile, Arua District officials remain hopeful that the Ministry of Health will gradually expand the rollout to more health facilities across the region.

Anziku Manase, the Arua District Senior Health Inspector, said the phased implementation is based on disease burden, with districts recording higher HIV prevalence prioritized during the initial rollout.

“Arua District has not yet been given Lenacapavir. The rollout started in selected regions because of their HIV prevalence. Usually, new interventions are introduced first in high-burden areas before they are gradually expanded depending on performance and availability,” Manase said.

Until the rollout reaches more districts, many residents will continue travelling across district boundaries in search of a drug that requires only two injections a year but remains out of reach for thousands who could benefit from it.