A health expert has explained how the preventive HIV drug Lenacapavir works and identified the categories of individuals eligible to use it, describing it as a major step forward in efforts to reduce HIV transmission.
Speaking during an interview from 0:41 on Arise Television on Friday, March 13, 2026, the Manager of HIV Prevention Services, Ezinne Akinola, said the medication is designed primarily for individuals who face a substantial risk of contracting the HIV.
During the interview, the host noted the progress made in HIV prevention over the years and referenced how the disease was once widely perceived as a fatal illness.
“I mean, this is such a huge breakthrough, moving from when the disease was thought to be a killer, you know, I remember the slogans then, AIDS not a show for face, as we used to say in Nigeria, it doesn’t appear on the face, to now having a drug that can prevent. How does it really work? And who can use it? Let’s start from there,” the host asked.
Responding, Akinola explained that the drug is intended for individuals whose personal circumstances place them at high risk of exposure to HIV. “Okay, just like your news has said, it’s a preventive drug that can be used by people at risk, substantial risk of HIV acquisition. So people who are maybe living with a partner who is HIV positive, or people who have some lifestyle that predisposes them to acquiring HIV,” she said.
She added that access to the injectable drug is subject to specific eligibility requirements determined by health authorities. “So those are people that are eligible, because for you to get this injectable, you have to have some criteria that must be met for you to get that drug given to you,” Akinola stated.
The discussion also addressed the issue of mother-to-child transmission, which remains a significant challenge in Nigeria’s fight against HIV.
The interviewer asked whether Lenacapavir could help reduce infections among pregnant women and newborns. “And so that brings me to the mother to child transmission, which is still a major challenge. How efficacious is this Lenacapavir in that situation? Is it likely to help reduce the numbers?” the host asked.
In response, Akinola clarified that the current HIV prevention strategy in Nigeria does not prioritize pregnant women for the injectable medication. “So for Nigeria right now, for mother to child, for that’s for pregnant women. We’re not targeting them for this Lenacapavir, but we are also having other preventive drugs that are oral Prep that can be given to them. Nigeria is not targeting pregnant women for now,” she explained. Read_More…