Uganda: HIV Injection Is Not a Vaccine, Experts Warn

What the report says

Experts in Uganda are urging people who have started lenacapavir, the twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, to keep using broader prevention measures as well, stressing that the drug is not a vaccine. The comments were reported by The Independent (Kampala) in a story carried by AllAfrica and published on 31 July 2026.

According to the report, the first recipients of lenacapavir are due for a second dose in October, and health officials say sticking to the schedule is important to keep protective drug levels in the body. Dr Vincent Bagambe of the Uganda AIDS Commission said the country hopes the new prevention option will help reduce annual new HIV infections, but that progress will depend on how well users follow the dosing regimen.

The article says Uganda initially received 19,200 doses distributed across 103 health facilities, with demand exceeding supply. The Ministry of Health later sent second batches to about 60% of those facilities, in some cases earlier than planned because supplies were running low. Officials also said another shipment is expected, although the timing remains uncertain.

The report adds that the government cannot currently buy enough lenacapavir on its own because the price is still too high, so it is relying on donations and other external support. Health officials also advised continued use of condoms, PrEP and PEP tablets, while noting that access to proven prevention tools remains uneven among groups at higher risk of HIV.