WHO issues guidelines on injectable ARVs

By Henry Mugenyi

In a move to transform HIV prevention, the World Health Organisation has released guidelines for countries to follow before they roll out the injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for those at the risk of contracting HIV. the injectable

In an interview with Dr. Clemensia Nakabiito, from Makerere University/Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration (MUJHU) and one of the researchers that participated in the research exercise the newly approved injectable, gives a significant advance in preventing HIV after being tested in two randomised studies.

Uganda was involved in the studies and cabotegravir, the injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), has been found to be more effective than the oral PrEP - with a 79% reduction in the HIV risk.

In the guidelines, the first two injections are supposed to be administered four weeks apart, followed by administering an injection every after 8 weeks, Dr Nakabiito said.

Officials from the ministry of Health said that they are now in preparations to make cabotegravir accessible to all those that need it starting in this financial year.

According to researchers, long-acting cabotegravir is a safe and highly effective HIV prevention tool, expected to accelerate the country's efforts in the fight against HIV.

The Director General of the Uganda Aids Commission (UAC), Dr. Nelson Musoba, said to achieve the United Nations HIV/AIDS prevention goals, Uganda must push for the rapid and equitable access to all effective prevention tools, including long-acting PrEP.

According to the recently released UNAIDS HIV Global report, 158 people get infected with HIV/AIDS in Uganda every day posing a risk to global commitments to put an end to the disease.