Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, has hailed long-acting injectables such as Lenacapavir as a game-changer poised to revolutionise HIV prevention, especially for adolescent girls, young women, and key populations.
South Africa has secured approximately R520 million from the Global Fund to combat AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria, which will be used to procure the twice-yearly anti-HIV injection.
Phaahla stated that modelling studies and expert guidance show that investing in combination HIV prevention strategies is the most cost-effective and efficient approach to reducing new infections and connecting individuals to comprehensive care.
"We believe that HIV combination prevention interventions will ensure that we protect gains and successes made thus far in the HIV response.
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"Furthermore, prevention technologies such as long acting injectables, including Lenacapavir, expand options for individuals at risk."
He thanked the Global Fund and other partners for selecting South Africa as one of the early adopter countries for Lenacapavir implementation as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option.
Lenacapavir tablets and injections can be used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to help reduce the risk of HIV infection in people who are HIV-negative.
The Deputy Minister was speaking at the 12th South African National AIDS Conference 2025.
The conference brought together leaders, researchers, implementing partners, academics and advocates from South Africa, the continent and other countries to address the evolving landscape of combating HIV and its management.
Phaahla said the conference took place during a period when the country is dealing with the realities of the United States' funding withdrawals.
"I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge your resilience and unwavering commitment to ensuring minimal service-delivery interruptions in relation to recipients of care.
"This became more than a conference, but a platform for renewing our collective commitments to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030."
He emphasised the importance of technological advancements, including artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies, in strengthening the HIV response by accelerating prevention and treatment services, improving surveillance, and enhancing programme management.
Phaahla is of the view that these technologies should be implemented with strong governance and privacy protections.
"I need to be clear that utilisation of these technologies is never intended to replace the human element in healthcare, but to enhance our response."
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Phaahla said TB and HIV co-infection remains the leading cause of death for people living with HIV.
In February this year, the department launched the 'Close the Gap' campaign to find 1.1 million clients who disengaged from treatment.
"I, therefore, call on all sectors involved in the campaign to ramp up our efforts to ensure clients are reengaged, start and stay on treatment."
Government, he said, has also expanded TB preventive therapy, rolled out new rapid molecular diagnostics, and strengthened integrated service delivery to ensure no one is lost between TB and HIV programmes.
"We, therefore, need to intensify our End TB campaign launched in March 2025 by ensuring that the five million tests are done for the TB missing clients."
He called delegates to unite in purpose and empower every person with tools, dignity, and opportunity.
"Let us redefine health, not as a set of vertical programmes, but as a shared journey toward wellness, inclusion, and justice.
"The future is not distant. We are building it now, for mothers, fathers, children, and generations to come.
"Together, we will end AIDS, eliminate its co-travellers, and write a new chapter of health equity in South Africa."
