University of Zambia Students Receive 100% Effective HIV Drug Lenacapavir as Aid Cuts Strain Access
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 26
University of Zambia Students Receive 100% Effective HIV Drug Lenacapavir as Aid Cuts Strain Access
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 26
Dozens of University of Zambia students lined up in March for free lenacapavir shots in an early effort to deliver the long-acting HIV prevention drug to young women at highest risk.
Two injections near the abdomen can protect recipients for six months, and 2024 clinical trial results showed 100% protection from infection among patients given the drug on that schedule.
Researchers, clinicians and health officials treated the campus rollout as a test of whether the most advanced HIV prevention tool can be pushed quickly into the communities that need it most.
Zambia's HIV response has already been weakened by the Trump administration's overhaul of foreign aid, raising doubts about whether the breakthrough drug will reach vulnerable people beyond pilot settings.
With a 100% effective HIV shield, will 'risk compensation' cause a surge in other STIs among Africa's youth?
As Gilead's injectable rolls out, is Merck's once-monthly pill already poised to make it obsolete?
Can Lenacapavir Reverse Zambia’s HIV Crisis? New Drug Rollout Faces Funding Cuts and Rising Incidence
Overview
In March 2026, Zambia began rolling out lenacapavir, a powerful new HIV prevention drug, at the University of Zambia. This launch was made possible by the Global Fund, which negotiated a subsidized price with Gilead Sciences, securing lenacapavir at $60 per patient per year for the first two years. The agreement aimed to provide enough medicine for 500,000 people, using a strategic pricing and distribution model to kickstart widespread access. With the potential for generic prices to drop further in the future, this initiative marks a major step forward in Zambia’s fight against HIV.