Before the end of the year, 867 government health facilities will start to roll out the two-monthly HIV prevention injection, CAB-LA.
CAB-LA virtually eliminates someones chances of contracting HIV, but costs about four times more than what the government can afford to pay.
The US governments Aids fund, Pepfar, has donated 231 000 doses over two years to South Africa 96 000 of the doses will arrive between October and December, enough for 13 728 people to use to protect themselves against HIV infection for one year.
In todays newsletter , editor-in-chief Mia Malan and content editor Linda Pretorius highlight the incoming donation of 231 000 doses of the HIV prevention injection, CAB-LA. Sign up now .
Before the end of the year, 867 government health facilities will start to roll out the two-monthly HIV prevention injection CAB-LA, using 96 000 doses donated by the US government.
Studies show that CAB-LA, which, after being injected into someones buttocks, gradually releases the antiretroviral drug cabotegravir over a period of two months into someones blood,can virtually eliminate a persons chances of contracting HIV through sex.
In 2022, about 150 000 adults people of 15 and older in South Africa contracted HIV. In total, about one in eight adults have the virus.
Early results of four demonstration studies released at the 25th International Conference on Aids in Munich over the weekend, show that when people have a choice between taking a daily HIV prevention pill, using the monthly vaginal ring or getting a CAB-LA shot, which only has to be taken every other month, up to three-quarters go for the jab. For example, researchers from the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation in Cape Town found that among 1 084 people between 19 and 28 years old, 74 chose the injection .
