By Rahim Abdul
The Malawi National AIDS Commission (NAC) is advocating for a price reduction of the HIV prevention injectable drug “Lenacapavir” to make it more accessible to those in need.
The drug, recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is currently priced at 49 million kwacha per person annually, making it unaffordable for many Malawians.
NAC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beatrice Matanje expressed concern about the high cost, urging people at risk of contracting HIV to continue using other prevention measures, such as condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and those living with HIV to adhere to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
The World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to release guidelines for the drug next month during the International AIDS Conference in Kigali, Rwanda.
Malawi has made significant progress in HIV prevention and treatment, but the country still faces challenges in reducing new infections.
According to UNAIDS, Malawi has a HIV prevalence of 9.2% among adults aged 15-49 years.
The introduction of Lenacapavir could be a game-changer in the fight against HIV, but its high price poses a significant barrier to accessing this potentially life-saving medication.
The NAC’s efforts to negotiate a price reduction are crucial in ensuring that more people can benefit from this innovative HIV prevention tool.
