By Our Reporter
Cross River State has been officially designated as one of the key beneficiaries of a groundbreaking HIV prevention initiative, following Nigeria’s receipt of the first batch of Lenacapavir – a novel, twice-yearly injectable drug.
The state is among a select group of eight pilot locations across the federation chosen to implement the rollout of the long-acting antiretroviral medicine. This development follows the handover of the first 11,520 doses of the vaccine-like injection at the Federal Central Medical Stores in Lagos on Wednesday.
The inclusion of Cross River in this pilot phase is seen as a strategic move to curb new infections in the state. With a total of 52,000 doses expected by the end of the year, health authorities confirmed that the second and third batches are scheduled for arrival in May and October, respectively.
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Mohammed Patiko, Head of Procurement and Supply Chain Management at the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), confirmed that distribution to mapped health facilities in Cross River and other pilot states will commence as early as next week.
“The injection will be available at health facilities in the eight pilot states,” Patiko stated. “It will be implemented in the Federal Capital Territory, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Benue states, alongside four Global Fund-supported states.”
For residents of Cross River, the introduction of Lenacapavir marks a departure from the “protocol burden” of daily oral tablets. The injection, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), is administered just twice a year, significantly easing the challenge of daily compliance for high-risk populations.
The pilot study in Cross River will specifically target Sero-discordant couples (where one partner is HIV-positive and the other is not).
High-risk groups, including sex workers and other vulnerable populations.
Critically, the drug will be provided free of charge to all clients enrolled in the pilot study within the state.
Public health experts view this rollout as a critical component of Nigeria’s goal to eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2030. With approximately 1.9 million to 2 million Nigerians currently living with the virus, the “pre-exposure prophylaxis” (PrEP) injection offers a highly effective shield for those at risk.
Dr. Oladipupo Fisher, Lagos State AIDS Programme Coordinator, emphasized that these products are “crucial to achieving global targets,” while Chiagozie Mgbemena of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria assured the public of the drug’s safety, noting it has undergone rigorous global and national approval processes.
