Uganda faces supply shortages for long acting HIV prevention injection
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Health authorities in Uganda are struggling to distribute enough lenacapavir, a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, to high risk areas like the city of Mbarara.
While the United States approved the drug in 2025, the limited supply means many people in the region still rely on less frequent options or daily pills. The city of Mbarara has an HIV rate of 10 percent, which is double the national average for the country.
Officials attribute these infection trends to urban hotspots where people engage in unprotected sex. Because the available doses of lenacapavir are few, the government rations the supply to remote districts like Lira and the city of Mbarara. Immaculate Nyamwija, founder of Action for Improved Health and Wealth, notes that sex workers prefer the injection because it lasts for at least six months. This provides a period of protection without the need to carry daily medication.
However, many patients find the drug is often out of stock at local facilities. The Global Fund and the United States plan to purchase lenacapavir for up to 3 million people by the end of 2028. Gilead Sciences says it will provide no profit supply through its partnerships while generic manufacturers work to scale up production. The company expects initial generic supply in late 2026 and widespread availability in 2027.
