The ministry of Health says demand for Lenacapavir, the newly introduced twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, has exceeded available supplies as increasing numbers of people, particularly men, seek access to the drug.At the launch of the programme in April, the ministry announced that 19,200 doses had been secured for distribution across 103 health facilities nationwide. However, officials say supplies have been constrained after Gilead, the manufacturer of the drug, reported a shortage of the oral tablets that accompany the injection as a loading dose.As a result, a second consignment that had been expected this month has been delayed and is now anticipated in October. With each dose currently priced at about $28,000 (approximately Shs 109 million), Uganda is for now relying largely on donations from the Global Fund and the United States government to sustain access to the medication.Speaking at a meeting attended by HIV advocates, researchers and policymakers, Dr Herbert Kadama, the ministry of Health’s coordinator for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), said the ministry has been surprised by the high number of men seeking the injection.He noted that although Lenacapavir is currently reserved for individuals at very high risk of acquiring HIV, health facilities continue to receive inquiries from people seeking information on how and where they can access it.The trend is particularly notable because the Ugandan studies that demonstrated the drug’s effectiveness as a preventive intervention were conducted among young women rather than men.The trials enrolled participants at research sites in Kalangala, Masaka and Mityana districts. Kadama said access to the injection is restricted to individuals who undergo thorough screening and meet the eligibility criteria.Despite concerns about long-term availability, Dr Flavia Matovu Kiweewa, a senior scientist at the Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University (MUJHU) Research Collaboration and lead researcher on the Ugandan trial, said women who participated in the studies are guaranteed continued access to the drug.According to Kiweewa, about 95 per cent of former study participants are currently receiving the injection and will continue to do so. She expressed optimism that supply constraints will ease within the next two years after Gilead signed agreements with six pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce generic versions of the drug.The generic formulations are expected to significantly reduce costs, with each dose projected to retail at about $40 (approximately Shs 150,000). At MUJHU, Kiweewa said pregnant and breastfeeding women are being prioritised for access to Lenacapavir, with about 70 per cent of available doses allocated to that category.Meanwhile, ministry officials are urging members of the public who are unable to access Lenacapavir to consider other approved HIV prevention options. These include daily oral PrEP tablets and Cabotegravir (CAB-LA), a long-acting injectable PrEP administered every two months, with the first two doses given four weeks apart.Health officials say the alternative options remain effective and widely available while efforts continue to expand access to Lenacapavir.The post Demand outstrips supply as more men seek HIV prevention jab appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.