Nigeria Balances Hope and Concern Over New HIV Prevention Injection
By NaijaEnquirer Staff
When news broke that a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection would soon be available at a fraction of its original cost, global health leaders hailed it as a turning point in the fight against the virus. For Nigeria, home to nearly two million people living with HIV, the promise of the drug known as Lenacapavir brings both hope and unease.
Promise of a Breakthrough
Lenacapavir, developed by Gilead Sciences, is given once every six months and has been shown in trials to almost completely block new infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed it in July, with Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus describing it as “the next best thing” to an HIV vaccine.
Under new agreements with generic manufacturers, the injection will be available in 120 low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria, from 2027 at a cost of $40 (₦60,000) per patient per year. That price is comparable to existing HIV-prevention pills, which many at-risk individuals struggle to take daily due to stigma.
Globally, 1.3 million people were newly infected with HIV last year. In Nigeria, new infections have dropped from about 120,000 in 2010 to 74,000 in 2021. With a longer-acting prevention option on the horizon, international agencies believe the injection could accelerate this decline.
Concerns from the Frontline
Not everyone, however, is convinced that Lenacapavir will be a simple solution. Sarah Alpheaus, a nurse in Abuja, welcomed the drug’s preventive potential but raised concerns about its side effects. “It works like PrEP tablets by stopping the virus from forming and replicating, but the side effects are many,” she explained. “There are psychological and physical impacts. I still believe the best prevention is avoiding risky behaviour in the first place.”
Pharmacist Oge Okechukwu highlighted another worry — that the injection might influence sexual behaviour. “The injection is welcome,” he said, “but it could promote immorality. Many people avoid multiple partners because of the fear of HIV. If that fear disappears, risky behaviour may rise again.”
These mixed reactions underline that the challenge is not only medical but also social. Even as funders like Unitaid, the Gates Foundation and the Clinton Health Access Initiative celebrate the breakthrough, Nigerian voices stress the need for education, counselling and community trust.
Preparing for the Future
For now, the injection remains two years away. With funding gaps and access debates still unresolved, health workers insist that science alone will not end the epidemic. To make Lenacapavir a true game changer, Nigeria must prepare early — by tackling stigma, strengthening health systems and ensuring the drug reaches those who need it most.
