…Lesotho to receive 6 000 doses of lenacapavir
Moroke Sekoboto
LESOTHO will receive 6 000 doses of the HIV prevention drug Lenacapavir from the United States (US) government today, marking a major boost to the country’s HIV prevention efforts.
Minister of Health, Selibe Mochoboroane, is expected to receive the batch tomorrow in Mafeteng.
The confirmation was made by the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Officer, Jess Tesoriero, who described the long-acting injectable drug as a groundbreaking form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and a significant advancement in HIV prevention.
“As part of the America First Global Health Strategy, the United States will deliver 6 000 doses of lenacapavir to Lesotho,” Ms Tesoriero said.
She explained that lenacapavir, developed by US pharmaceutical company, Gilead Sciences, was a long-acting injectable medication designed to prevent HIV infection.
“Its introduction into Lesotho’s HIV prevention programme marks an important step forward in expanding prevention options and accelerating progress toward ending new HIV infections,” she said.
Ms Tesoriero added that the National Drug Service Organization (NDSO) will receive, store and distribute the medication to health facilities across the country, ensuring efficient and equitable access for eligible Basotho.
The development follows negotiations and the signing of an agreement in October 2025 between the Ministry of Health and the US government to pilot the newly developed HIV prevention drug. Lenacapavir is administered only twice a year and has been shown to be highly effective in preventing HIV infection.
The initial rollout will prioritise pregnant and breastfeeding women, who face a higher risk of HIV transmission. A large-scale clinical trial demonstrated remarkable effectiveness, with more than 99 percent of participants remaining HIV-negative while on Lenacapavir.
Ms Tesoriero said the latest donation reflected sustained US support for Lesotho’s HIV response.
“This milestone reflects the generosity of the American people to the Kingdom of Lesotho. Through sustained collaboration, technical support and strategic investment, the United States remains committed to supporting Lesotho in building on its remarkable progress in combating HIV and strengthening its health systems.”
She said to date, the US has invested more than US$1 billion (M16 billion) in Lesotho’s HIV response, contributing to expanded access to HIV testing, treatment and prevention services; construction and strengthening of health facilities nationwide; training and deployment of health professionals; improved supply-chain systems for essential medicines; and strengthened country ownership and sustainability of health programmes.
“As a result, Lesotho has achieved the 97-97-99 epidemic control targets — levels reached by very few countries — and national life expectancy has increased by approximately 15 years over the past two decades,” she said.
Ms Tesoriero said the arrival of Lenacapavir reinforced a shared commitment to leveraging US innovation, country-led solutions and sustainable health outcomes.
“By expanding prevention options and strengthening local capacity, we move closer to safeguarding the next generation and ensuring a healthier, more prosperous future for Basotho and the world.”
She added that the US Embassy looked forward to continuing its strong partnership with the government of Lesotho, as well as civil society, religious organisations and communities across the country, to advance HIV eradication, strengthen health systems and achieve lasting epidemic control.
Addressing Parliament on Monday, Mr Mochoboroane described Lenacapavir as a novel, groundbreaking injectable medicine for HIV prevention and appealed to Parliament to support its rollout through sustained funding and strategic investment. He said approval of domestic funding would help secure procurement of the commodity, while parliamentary backing would also be key in promoting community awareness and uptake of Lenacapavir, and in fostering partnerships with local and international development and implementing partners.
“Today we are providing background on Lesotho’s HIV response and the rationale for introducing LEN—what it is, how it will be rolled out in Lesotho, and, most importantly, how Cabinet can support this critical intervention,” Mr Mochoboroane told lawmakers.
However, he said uptake of PrEP remains low, standing at 43 percent against national targets.
“Given the aim of zero new infections, there is a need to strengthen HIV prevention approaches, particularly PrEP, where HIV medicines are used to prevent new infections.”
The Ministry of Health, he explained, plans to close this gap by introducing Lenacapavir, a highly effective injection administered twice yearly as an additional PrEP option. The medicine works by interrupting critical stages of the HIV lifecycle, thereby preventing infection in individuals at substantial risk.
Mr Mochoboroane said the introduction of Lenacapavir would help stop new infections, expand choice in HIV prevention, assist people who struggle with daily pills, reduce the number of clinic visits, and protect those who face stigma and discrimination.
He added that the decision to incorporate Lenacapavir into the national HIV prevention package was informed by recommendations from the World Health Organisation and supported by scientific evidence demonstrating high standards of safety, quality, efficiency and efficacy in line with global, regional and national regulatory requirements.
He said Lenacapavir is safe and effective for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to prevent new infections and potential mother-to-child transmission of HIV. It can be used by all HIV-negative individuals at substantial risk of infection who weigh 35 kilograms and above.
The rollout will be phased over three stages, each lasting about nine months, until all health facilities and at-risk populations across Lesotho are reached. Phase One is scheduled to begin towards the end of March 2026 and will cover 50 high-volume, high-prevalence facilities across all 10 districts. Site readiness assessments have already been completed to ensure access once the medicine arrives in the country.
