Morocco has been selected as one of the initial countries in a global program to expand access to a new, long-acting HIV prevention drug. The initiative is led by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences.
The program focuses on providing the injectable drug lenacapavir, which is administered only twice a year. This represents a significant advancement over current daily oral PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) options, potentially improving adherence for individuals at substantial risk of HIV infection.
The "Accelerating Access to Long-Acting PrEP" program aims to reach up to one million people in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions by 2030. The initial rollout will include a limited number of countries, with Morocco being a notable participant in North Africa. The goal is to demonstrate the feasibility of delivering this innovative prevention tool and to gather data to support its broader use.
Access will be facilitated through a tiered pricing model and voluntary licensing agreements to enable generic manufacturing in the future, aiming to make the treatment more affordable in low- and middle-income countries. The program is part of a broader international effort to combat the HIV epidemic with more effective prevention tools.
