Zambia receives over 20,000 vials of long-acting injectable HIV prevention medication

Zambia has received the second batch of the Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir (CAB-LA) for HIV prevention from the United States government.

This is through the USAID Global Health Supply Chain-Procurement & Supply Management (GHSC-PSM).

The new consignment, about 20,250 vials, was received by ZAMMSA Director-General, Victor Nyasulu, at the central warehouse in Lusaka on Wednesday.

Nyasulu said the consignment would be distributed to selected health facilities across the country.

Read More: Govt claims ‘tremendous progress’ made in HIV/AIDS response as over 800 receive long-acting injectable prep treatment

“In February 2024, Zambia became the first African country to have access to Injectable PrEP after receiving 15,000 vials of CAB-LA and was launched by Health Minister, Sylvia Masebo,” he stated.

Nyasulu stated that CAB-LA was an intramuscular injectable, long-acting form of PrEP, with the first 2 injections administered four weeks apart, followed thereafter by an injection every eight weeks.

“Studies found that use of CAB-LA resulted in a 79 percent relative reduction in HIV risk compared with oral PrEP, where adherence to taking daily oral medication was often a challenge,” he said.

Nyasulu expressed happiness that CAB-LA was a safe and highly effective HIV prevention tool which would drastically help in mitigating HIV infections across the country.

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