A twice-yearly Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention injection, described by health experts as the most promising tool against the virus in decades, has stirred mixed reactions among Nigerians following reports that it may soon be available at about $40 (less than ₦70,000) per patient annually.
The drug, known as lenacapavir, is currently marketed in the United States as Yeztugo by Gilead Sciences at a prohibitive cost of over $28,000 annually. However, a new initiative involving Indian pharmaceutical firms Hetero Labs Ltd. and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, Unitaid, the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Wits RHI, is expected to roll out affordable generic versions across resource-limited countries, including Nigeria, in the coming weeks.
Unlike daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills, lenacapavir requires just two injections per year, with each dose offering six months of protection. Experts have hailed this durability as “transformational,” particularly for women facing challenges with daily medication or negotiating condom use. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton described the breakthrough as one that could “change lives” by providing six months of protection at a fraction of the current cost of PrEP pills.
Global health projections suggest that even a modest rollout in high-burden countries could reduce new HIV infections by as much as 20 percent.
Despite the optimism, scepticism remains widespread.
Tobe, a fuel attendant in Port Harcourt, expressed doubts: “How can an injection taken only twice yearly replace PrEP taken every day for 365 days? It’s just so hard to believe.”
A student at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, said he preferred to stick with the daily pill option.
On social media, the announcement triggered conspiracy theories, with many Nigerians likening the development to the controversies surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Some linked it to alleged population control plots.
One Instagram user wrote: “Watch fertility rate drop drastically and erectile dysfunction rise. I don’t trust them.” Another questioned the necessity of the injection: “What happened to abstinence, condoms and ARVs? Must they inject us with something?”
A few, however, welcomed the drug. Philomena Davies, commenting online, said: “God bless this man (Bill Gates). Hated by so many for no reason. This is progress.”
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, Dr. Dan Onwujekwe, a former senior researcher at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, dismissed fears of hidden agendas. He stressed that accessibility and affordability should be the focus:
“Taking that medication twice a year will clearly improve adherence. Many people are worried about taking PrEP for life. Most don’t want to be seen with the pills because of stigma. Those who can afford it should go for it. The fears being pushed are misplaced.”
For now, Nigerians await clarity on when the injection will become widely available and how accessible it will be to those most at risk of contracting HIV.
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