In a recent announcement, the Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) disclosed a major development set to take place in less than three months.
Uganda is poised to join the ranks of three other African nations where an injectable drug for HIV/AIDS prevention has received approval. This groundbreaking news was lauded by the UAC, which praised the newly approved injectable, cabotegravir (CAB-LA), as a safer and more user-friendly approach to disease prevention compared to existing methods.
CAB-LA, known for its long-lasting effectiveness, has been officially confirmed as a potent weapon in the nation's ongoing battle to reduce the HIV/AIDS health crisis. This crisis claimed the lives of 17,000 Ugandans in the previous year.
In an interview held in Kampala on Monday, Dr. Daniel Byamukama, the head of the HIV prevention division at the Commission, unveiled UAC's plans to roll out this remarkable drug early in the coming year. Dr. Byamukama outlined the strategy, stating, "We have placed orders through the Global Fund for [HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis] to procure injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This regimen involves a single injection every two months. If an individual is HIV-negative, this treatment will effectively prevent HIV contraction."
He further explained the UAC's goal of initially targeting 10,000 individuals in the first year, with plans to incrementally increase this number by 10,000 in the subsequent years to maximize the drug's benefits. Dr. Byamukama added, "Should the demand for this intervention surge, rest assured, we will make it readily available." However, he did not specify the criteria for selecting the first beneficiaries of this groundbreaking initiative.