A Game Changer in HIV Prevention: What the Lenacapavir Injection Could Mean for South Africa

Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable option that could significantly shift how people protect themselves against HIV.

Joining the conversation were representatives from the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation: Mbali Jonas, Marketing and Communications Coordinator; Nombeko Mpongo and Thando Wonxie, Media Liaison Officers.

Together, they unpacked what Lenacapavir is, how it works, and why it matters for communities across the country.

What Is Lenacapavir?

Lenacapavir is a long-acting HIV prevention injection taken twice a year. According to Mbali Jonas, it offers protection against HIV infection without the need to take a daily pill.

This innovation builds on years of HIV prevention efforts in South Africa. Since 2016, oral PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) has been available nationwide. Over time, newer prevention options such as injectable PrEP and the dipivefrine ring were introduced through implementation science projects like FAST PrEP.

Lenacapavir now expands these choices even further, with plans for national availability, not just limited research settings.

Choice, Not Replacement

A key message from the discussion was clear: Lenacapavir does not replace oral PrEP. Instead, it adds another option. Mbali compared HIV prevention to contraception. Some people prefer daily oral contraceptives, while others choose injections or implants. HIV prevention works the same way. If daily oral PrEP fits your lifestyle, it remains a great option. If you prefer something discreet that doesn’t require daily adherence, Lenacapavir may work better. The goal is choice—allowing individuals to select what best suits their lives.

Prevention vs Treatment: What’s the Difference?

Thando Wonxie explained the distinction simply:

‘’HIV treatment is lifelong for people living with HIV. HIV prevention is for people who are HIV-negative and want to stay that way. Lenacapavir, in this context, is currently focused on prevention. While studies are underway exploring its use in HIV treatment, those findings are not yet publicly available.’’

PICTURED - representatives from the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation: From left - Mbali Jonas, Marketing and Communications Coordinator; Thando Wonxie and Nombeko Mpongo, Media Liaison Officers.

What Could This Mean for South Africa?

South Africa carries one of the highest HIV burdens in the world, making new prevention tools critically important.

Nombeko Mpongo described Lenacapavir as a bridge between HIV infection and hope. Because it is taken only twice a year, it could be especially beneficial for people in rural areas, learners, and those who struggle to access clinics regularly.

For example, someone could receive an injection during school holidays in January and June, reducing disruptions to education and daily life.

“This is hope,” Nombeko said. “It tells us we’ve survived so much—and now we have solutions.”

What About Resistance and Long-Term Use?

The panel reassured listeners that there are no major concerns about resistance when Lenacapavir is used correctly. Importantly, prevention is a choice—if someone is no longer sexually active, they can stop using it.

What an honour to join @bushradio 📻 to talk about Len injection, a game-changing innovation in the fight against HIV🎗️.#leninjection #lenacapavir #desmondtutuhealthfoundation #sexualhealth pic.twitter.com/sqFYVq4Ftu

— FASTPrEP (@FASTPrEPstudy) January 27, 2026

The Role of Government and Communities

While NGOs like the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation play a key role, the panel stressed that communities must also advocate for themselves.

People need information before they can demand better services. By engaging clinics, NGOs, and local leaders, communities can push for access to prevention, family planning, and education—especially in remote areas.

How to Get in Touch

You can reach the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation / FAST PrEP Study via:

Social media: @fastprepstudy (all platforms)

WhatsApp: 076 726 1950

They also operate mobile clinics, including a stationed clinic in Philippi Village, with services available Monday to Friday, 10:00–16:00. Weekly schedules are shared online.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

Empowering Diabetes Care in South Africa: A Conversation with Shiara Pillay of Sweet Life

The Sweet Life Diabetes Community is Africa’s largest online diabetes platform and a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering people living with diabetes. Through education, advocacy, and connection, Sweet Life continues to change the way South Africans understand and manage this chronic condition.

At the heart of this work is Shiara Pillay, Project Manager at Sweet Life, whose journey combines professional expertise with deeply personal experience. With an Honours degree in Development Studies and more than two decades of living with type 1 diabetes, Shiara brings authenticity, empathy, and insight to everything she does.

COURTESY: Facebook - South Africans With Diabetes

We explore her story, her work, and her vision for a future where diabetes in South Africa is better understood, better managed, and free from stigma.

A Life-Changing Diagnosis

Shiara was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before her 10th birthday—over 20 years ago.

“It was overwhelming,” she recalls. “There was so much information I didn’t know and had to learn very quickly—new ways of eating, thinking, and living.”

At such a young age, her family played a crucial role in helping her understand diabetes and begin the journey of self-management. Like many families, they initially missed the early warning signs, unfamiliar with the symptoms of diabetes. Eventually, a visit to the doctor brought clarity—and a diagnosis that would shape her life in profound ways.

Where Diabetes and Development Intersect

With a background in development studies, Shiaura sees diabetes not just as a medical condition, but as a social and systemic issue.

“Much of diabetes management falls on the individual,” she explains. “But our ability to manage it is deeply influenced by systems—healthcare, food systems, social attitudes, and stigma.”

She highlights how misinformation and stigma continue to affect people living with diabetes in South Africa. Simple person-to-person interactions, she believes, can either reinforce harmful myths or empower someone to take charge of their health.

“At the core, it starts with seeing the person as human first. Then asking: how can our systems better support them?”

How the Diabetes Landscape Has Changed

Over the past two decades, Shiara has witnessed significant changes in diabetes care—from improved medical knowledge to evolving management tools. But she notes that progress is uneven.

“Management looks different for everyone,” she says. “Each person lives a different life, so sustainability and confidence in your own care plan are key.”

True progress, she believes, comes when people feel ownership over their diabetes—when management strategies are adaptable, personal, and realistic over the long term.

Thriving, Not Just Surviving

Living with type 1 diabetes requires constant decision-making, awareness, and resilience. For Shiara, one of the most powerful tools in thriving has been community.

Sweet Life has built Africa’s largest online diabetes community by creating spaces where people can connect, ask questions, and share experiences—both digitally and in person. From social media conversations to print and digital resources, Sweet Life meets people where they are.

“Community normalises the experience,” Shiara says. “Transparent conversations help people realise they’re not alone.”

This approach also recognises that education must be accessible in multiple formats—print, digital, and face-to-face—to truly reach diverse communities across the country.

Balancing Work and Diabetes

As Project Manager at Sweet Life, Shiara balances professional responsibilities with managing her own diabetes—often simultaneously.

“I’m fortunate to work in an environment where diabetes is understood,” she shares. “If my blood sugar is low or high, it’s not stigmatised—it’s just part of life.”

She stresses that while not every workplace will include someone with diabetes, awareness and empathy can make a significant difference. Small jokes or casual comments can unintentionally hurt, highlighting the need for education and sensitivity in all spaces.

Education, Partnerships, and Real Impact

Sweet Life focuses on foundational diabetes education that is simple, practical, and easy to understand. One standout initiative involved distributing 100 community boxes across the country—each designed to help individuals host their own diabetes awareness events and spark conversations locally.

“These partnerships create a ripple effect,” Shiara explains. “They empower people to educate others in their own communities.”

The Gaps in Diabetes Education

Despite progress, significant gaps remain. One of the biggest, according to Shiara, is the absence of a national diabetes programme in South Africa.

“A baseline national understanding of diabetes would reduce stigma and improve early diagnosis,” she says. “Healthcare practitioners also need ongoing training to recognise symptoms and stay up to date.”

Without consistent national education and policy, many people continue to fall through the cracks.

Advocating for Change

Sweet Life’s vision—a South Africa where diabetes is a well-managed condition—is ambitious but necessary.

Key steps include: A national diabetes programme; Stronger policy implementation; Government collaboration grounded in lived experience

Shiara highlights a major advocacy milestone: a petition with over 8,000 signatures calling for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) access for all children under 18 with type 1 diabetes in the public sector. The petition was accepted and acknowledged by government—a crucial first step toward equitable care.

Turning Experience into Advocacy

For those living with diabetes who want to create change, Shiara’s advice is simple but powerful:

“Connect. Find community. Share your experience with people who are willing to listen—and with those who have the power to act.”

Advocacy doesn’t always start on a national stage. It can begin in workplaces, clinics, schools, or online spaces—and grow through collaboration with organisations like Sweet Life.

Hope for the Future

Looking ahead, Shiara is hopeful about deeper empowerment, stronger partnerships, and more standardised care across South Africa.

“Diabetes is one condition, but it affects every part of daily life,” she says. “Normalising those experiences—and treating people as partners in care—is essential.”

Learn More About Sweet Life

To learn more or get involved:

Facebook & Instagram: Sweet Life Diabetes Community

Website: www.sweetlife.org.za

The Sweet Life website functions like a “diabetes Wikipedia,” offering searchable, reliable information on a wide range of diabetes-related topics for everyone—from newly diagnosed individuals to caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Shiara Pillay’s journey reminds us that meaningful change happens when lived experience meets education, empathy, and action. Through Sweet Life, she continues to help thousands of South Africans navigate diabetes—not alone, but together.

 

Done By: Mitchum George

''Think Health, Think Pharmacy...'' for Pharmacy Month 2025

Pharmacy Month takes place throughout September in South Africa and this month aims to raise patient awareness of the vital role pharmacists and pharmacy support personnel play in the community's healthcare.

The theme for 2025 is: ‘’Think Health, Think Pharmacy – One Profession, Many Roles,’’, which highlights the diverse roles of pharmacists and pharmacy personnel in healthcare and promotes better patient-pharmacist communication.

A Digital Health Pharmacist with SKMHealth.co.za and practicing academic pharmacist at the University of Cape Town, Samkele Mkumbuzi, was on Sakhisiziwe – Building The Nation – Bou die Nasie - to increase public awareness about the diverse roles pharmacists play in healthcare, and how Digital Health Pharmacists are transforming the way they approach medicine and patient care.

‘’Pharmacists have always been viewed as the behind-the-counter professionals. However, over the past decade, there has been quite a big, drive and evolution in the profession where pharmacists are not only just focused in patient care. They have also branched into research and academia, looking at different types of solutions into how to improve the health care system. For example, pharmacists are also involved in the legal aspects of providing care, and they provide a law background to that.’’

‘’And then just another tip, in terms of a different type of profession is also looking at pharmacists from being a manager of a health care system and not necessarily facing patients, but working with medical aids and ensuring that people are still getting the quality of care that they deserve. And then the last one - we already know about pharmacists being in the community and providing retail therapy to people - one thing that I have always been fascinated about in the profession is how pharmacists have moved away from just being behind the counter, but actually servicing people where they need to be met,’’ added Mkumbuzi.

PICTURE: Pixabay

He says pharmacists do not just give medication, but try to understand the patient’s health and its history. Mkumbuzi also touched on how technology is transforming pharmacy practice.

‘’Pharmacists have been shown to be the most trusted health care professionals and also the most accessible. When it comes to digital health, historically, in the health care space, a lot of things have been paper based. So with the fourth industrial revolution in bringing in digital tools such as electronic records, websites, that's afforded people who are in remote areas to be able to access pharmacy services and that's, clinical example of that is through tele-pharmacy, which is essentially you calling the pharmacy, having a virtual consultation in the comfort of your own home, and also that being cost effective. So that's just one of the strategies that's been at the forefront. And then, managing patient data is also quite essential. For example, there is SMS systems that help to remind you that you need to collect your medication. There is also drones that have been introduced to actually deliver medication in remote areas.’’

‘’I am from the Eastern Cape, and that is one of the reasons I have always been interested in in digital health because I have seen some communities struggle to access medication, and I think there is such an opportunity now with digital health to give them that opportunity like everyone else,’’ added Mkumbuzi.

On anti-retroviral (ARV) residues found in drinking water, Mkumbuzi reiterated the Department of Water and Sanitation sentiments that it poses no health risk and cannot result in HIV transmission.

‘’Everyone can be exposed to the ARVs that is in drinking water - whether you are living with HIV or not – South Africa has got 7.8 million people living with HIV. People who are not living with HIV should not be alarmed ; you being exposed put to these low levels of ARVs in drink water actually also doesn't have any harm to your system.,’’ said Samkele Mkumbuzi, Digital Health Pharmacist with SKMHealth.co.za and practicing academic pharmacist at the University of Cape Town.

For more on Samkele’s work, visit: skmhealth.co.za, or visit Samkele Mkumbuzi on various social media platforms. Alternatively, message him on WhatsApp on 073 365 7393.

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW:

Presenter / Producer: Jasnine Roberts

Identifying counterfeit condoms on International Condom Day

International Condom Day (ICD) is observed annually on February 13, a day before Valentine’s Day, to promote safer sex practices and raise awareness about the importance of condoms in preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and unplanned pregnancies.

This day encourages open conversations about sexual health, challenges the stigma surrounding condom use, and promotes accessibility to condoms as an essential tool for reproductive health.

The Health Department recently issued a warning to the public to look out for counterfeit condoms in circulation. These findings were mainly made at spaza shops in Gauteng. Speaking to Bush Radio’s Sakhisizwe programme, Avian Bell is Chief Executive Officer of Quantumed, outlines how one can identify counterfeit condoms.

‘’Look at the manufacturing details, it will be listed on the box or the foil of the condom – manufacturing name, date, expiry date, lot numbers or batch numbers; Visually, identify for unusual markings such as the font, the language usage (no grammatical errors), imagery on the box, look for SABS marking or any other approved label. Yes, it is easy to mimic marking, but they cannot mimic the touch and feel.

‘’From a touch or feel perspective, when you take it out of the foil, you can feel the latex, if it has a smooth consistent latex, it is fine, if has a rough feel, it is likely a knockoff. Even the smell – we found that fake condoms has this strong synthetic, musky smell like glue, where the genuine condom has a smell of subtle smell like rubber. If it is a scented condom, it will have the smell to it, but the aim is the latex feel to it,’’ said Bell.

He says albeit in other provinces, one should still be aware.

‘’It is just a rule of thumb to be mindful, as you would not want to go to the shops and purchase expired foods as it is a risk on your health. Just like purchasing a counterfeit condom as it is a risk on your health, as it could end in a fatal disease being contracted, so just check no matter where you are in the country.’’

Bell says counterfeit condoms can contract STI’s/STD, or HIV/AIDs. It also has a mental effect on one’s life, as it can also bring unwanted pregnancies.

He gave advice for young people and parents.

‘’Sex Education should be a general thing that all kids should talk about. I know many steer clear from the topic as it is taboo for some, or it embarrasses people, but the more we talk about it, the more educated one gets, and just be careful. Rather take the stance of ‘if you are doing it behind my back, I’d rather have you do it safely’, than being punished for it. Parents should be open to their kids. Same with the teachers at school, but there are tools one can utilize the correct way to put on condoms.’’

Done by: Mitchum George