LOCAL journalists are undergoing specialised training on Lenacapavir, a revolutionary long-acting injectable drug expected to transform HIV prevention efforts.
The initiative aims to equip journalists with the knowledge and skills needed to accurately report on Lenacapavir and its potential impact on the country’s HIV response.
The training programme, being held in Bulawayo, has been organised by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in collaboration with development partners.
Lenacapavir, which is administered only twice a year, is being regarded as a major breakthrough in HIV prevention.
Health experts believe the drug could improve adherence to prevention programmes by reducing the burden of taking medication regularly while expanding access to effective HIV prevention services.
Organisation for Public Health Interventions and Development (OPHID) technical director, Pugie Chimberengwa, said empowering journalists with accurate information was critical in ensuring the public receives factual and balanced coverage of the new intervention.
Keep Reading
- Zim pilots new HIV drug
- Govt urged to do more in HIV/Aids fight
- Life-saving Aids jab boost for Zim
- 'Miracle' HIV shot rollout in Zimbabwe sparks debate
“We want to capacitate you as the Fourth Estate so that you can disseminate accurate information,” said Chimberengwa.
Ministry of Health and Child Care National HIV prevention coordinator, Getrude Ncube, highlighted the progress Zimbabwe has made in combating HIV over the years.
“Over the years, we have made great progress in reducing the number of new infections and AIDS-related deaths. We have come a long way since the first case of HIV was recorded in the country in the 1980s,” said Ncube.
Health experts believe Lenacapavir could play a pivotal role in accelerating Zimbabwe’s progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by the end of the decade.