Lenacapavir arrives in Eswatini as AIDS battle hinges on rollout

A new HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, delivered as a twice-yearly injection, is being rolled out in Eswatini and nine high‑risk countries in a bid to end AIDS, described by UN officials as the closest thing to a vaccine. While it could dramatically reduce new infections if scaled globally, the rollout is hampered by years of foreign aid cuts that shuttered mobile clinics and constrained supply. The UN and Global Fund aim to reach millions, but plans to reach about two million people by 2028 fall well short of needs, underscoring the need for expanded funding and procurement to avoid repeating past delays that cost lives.