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Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Shot
Zimbabwe Rolls Out Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Shot in Groundbreaking Initiative
In a major advancement in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, Zimbabwe has been selected as one of ten nations worldwide to introduce lenacapavir, a revolutionary twice-yearly injection that represents the first long-acting HIV prevention medication requiring only two doses annually. The groundbreaking prophylactic drug, hailed by global health experts as potentially transformative in HIV prevention, offers nearly 100% protection against infection and could significantly alter the landscape of AIDS prevention in a country grappling with one of the world’s highest HIV prevalence rates.
The announcement, made by the US Embassy in Harare, positions Zimbabwe at the forefront of HIV prevention technology and underscores the country’s progress in building robust healthcare infrastructure capable of implementing advanced medical interventions. With approximately 1.3 million people living with HIV in Zimbabwe according to UNAIDS figures, the introduction of lenacapavir offers new hope in the nation’s ongoing battle against the epidemic that has affected countless families and communities for decades.
A Revolutionary Approach to HIV Prevention
Lenacapavir represents a paradigm shift in HIV prevention strategies, moving from daily pill regimens to biannual injections that dramatically reduce the adherence challenges that have long complicated pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programs. The drug’s exceptional efficacy rates, demonstrated in clinical trials showing more than 99% effectiveness in preventing HIV infections, have generated unprecedented excitement among global health organizations and public health experts monitoring the HIV/AIDS landscape.
“While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, emphasizing the drug’s transformative potential in global HIV prevention efforts.
The selection of Zimbabwe for the initial rollout recognizes the country’s significant progress in developing what public health expert Ponesai Nyika describes as a “very solid HIV response infrastructure.” According to detailed reporting from AllAfrica, Zimbabwe’s established healthcare partnerships with organizations like PEPFAR (the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and local institutions created an ideal foundation for introducing this advanced medical intervention. Nyika noted that these existing systems “create a solid foundation for the introduction of lenacapavir,” ensuring the drug reaches those most vulnerable to infection.
The Zimbabwean rollout will specifically target populations with heightened HIV susceptibility, including adolescent girls and pregnant or breastfeeding women—groups that have historically faced disproportionate infection risks due to biological, social, and economic factors. This targeted approach reflects the growing sophistication of HIV prevention strategies that recognize the need to address the epidemic through both medical and social lenses.
Global Enthusiasm and Local Realities
International health organizations have greeted the development of lenacapavir with unprecedented enthusiasm, with UNAIDS officials describing the medication in remarkably optimistic terms. The organization’s deputy director, Angeli Achrekar, characterized the drug as representing a potential watershed moment in the decades-long global response to HIV/AIDS, highlighting both its exceptional efficacy and its position as the most advanced prevention tool currently available.
“We are talking about it as a potential miracle drug,” Achrekar stated in an interview. “Right now, the fact that it is nearly 100% effective at stopping new infections is remarkable, it’s unprecedented. It’s the best thing we’ve got in the HIV response. We do not have a vaccine or cure, but this is extraordinary.”
The drug’s development pathway included two major clinical trials—one conducted in sub-Saharan Africa focusing on women and girls, and another in the United States involving gay and bisexual men and transgender women. The consistent demonstration of over 99% efficacy across these diverse populations has bolstered confidence in lenacapavir’s potential to significantly reduce the approximately 1.3 million new HIV infections occurring globally each year. This breakthrough comes at a critical time, as reported by various Zimbabwe news outlets covering the country’s ongoing health challenges.
Beyond its remarkable efficacy, lenacapavir’s twice-yearly administration schedule addresses one of the most persistent challenges in HIV prevention: medication adherence. Nyika explained that reducing the frequency of dosing “makes it even more effective as it reduces incidents of low adherence to HIV treatment,” potentially overcoming a significant barrier that has limited the impact of previous prevention methods requiring daily commitment.
Addressing Concerns and Ensuring Accessibility
Despite the widespread optimism surrounding lenacapavir, the rollout has prompted important questions about cost, safety, and equitable access—concerns that echo historical challenges in global health implementation. Some Zimbabweans have expressed skepticism about whether this advanced medical intervention will truly be accessible to those most in need, with cost emerging as a particularly significant barrier given the drug’s initial pricing structure.
The medication’s journey from conception to implementation highlights the complex economics of pharmaceutical development. Originally projected to cost approximately $28,000 per person annually, aggressive negotiations and partnerships with global health organizations have dramatically reduced the price to around $40 per year for prevention regimens in low and middle-income countries. However, even this reduced cost raises questions about sustainability and scalability in nations with constrained healthcare budgets.
“How is it going to help us? Because I’m sure it’s for the rich,” questioned one Ugandan citizen, reflecting concerns shared by many across the region about whether groundbreaking medical advances truly reach ordinary citizens in resource-limited settings.
Safety considerations represent another dimension of public concern, though health experts have sought to provide reassurance based on available data. Nyika acknowledged that, like any new medication, lenacapavir may produce side effects, but emphasized that “the data that we have does show that lenacapavir is very safe and well tolerated.” He stressed the importance of transparent communication about potential side effects to build public trust and facilitate successful adoption of the new prevention method.
The lenacapavir prevention regimen involves an initial oral component—two tablets taken on the day of the first injection and two additional tablets the following day—before transitioning to the twice-yearly injection schedule. This hybrid approach ensures immediate protection while establishing the long-acting preventive coverage that makes the intervention so revolutionary.
To address cost and accessibility challenges, experts point to multiple potential strategies, including continued negotiations by middle- and low-income countries, possible local or regional production of pharmaceutical components, and leveraging existing supply chains and community health systems. Nyika suggested that “leveraging the existing supply chain, community health system and different service delivery modules will help ensure equitable access,” emphasizing the importance of building on established infrastructure rather than creating parallel systems.
Partnerships with major global health initiatives like PEPFAR and the Global Fund are expected to play a crucial role in making lenacapavir accessible throughout Zimbabwe and other participating nations. These organizations’ established networks, funding mechanisms, and implementation experience position them to facilitate the complex process of introducing a novel medical intervention in diverse healthcare settings.
Zimbabwe joins nine other African nations in the initial lenacapavir rollout, including Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Eswatini, and Botswana, with full implementation targeted by January 2026. The ambitious plan envisions expanding access to approximately 120 low- and middle-income countries by 2027, potentially transforming HIV prevention on a global scale.
As Zimbabwe prepares to implement this groundbreaking prevention tool, the country stands at a pivotal moment in its long battle against HIV/AIDS. The successful integration of lenacapavir into existing healthcare frameworks could not only reduce new infections but also demonstrate how scientific innovation, when coupled with thoughtful implementation strategies, can address some of the world’s most persistent public health challenges.
Economy
WeBuyCars Share Price Crashes
WeBuyCars Share Price Crashes 14% on JSE as Trading Update Disappoints Growth Investors
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – The share price of South Africa’s leading vehicle trading platform, WeBuyCars, suffered a dramatic collapse on Tuesday, plummeting by 13.57% in a single trading session after the company released a trading update that failed to meet investor expectations for the growth stock. The severe market reaction highlights the increasing volatility facing South African equities, particularly for recently listed companies trading at premium valuations.
The dramatic sell-off occurred despite the company projecting impressive headline earnings growth of over 100% for the year ended 30 September 2025. The paradox between strong earnings growth and a crashing share price underscores the complex dynamics influencing modern equity markets, where earnings per share and growth expectations often trump absolute profit figures.
The Dilution Dilemma: When Growth Doesn’t Translate to Shareholder Value
At the heart of Tuesday’s market disappointment was the significant dilution effect caused by WeBuyCars’ issuance of 83 million new shares earlier this year. While the company projects core headline earnings to increase between 12% and 17%, the massive expansion in share count means core headline earnings per share are expected to rise by a meager 0.8% to 6% – a figure that failed to excite investors who had priced the stock for explosive growth.
“The share is expensive, and expensive shares cannot disappoint,” explained a market analyst familiar with the situation. “When the company reported earnings of R2.14 to R2.15, which was essentially flat, the market reacted negatively. The reason is that WeBuyCars is viewed as a growth stock.”
The new shares were issued in February, March, and April 2024 as part of the company’s pre-listing capital raise, which was approved by shareholders prior to WeBuyCars’ debut on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. This issuance has increased the total weighted average number of ordinary shares to 417,401,341, up significantly from 375,029,205 in 2024, creating substantial dilution for existing shareholders.
Market experts note that the reaction exemplifies a broader trend in contemporary equity markets, where the penalty for disappointing growth expectations has become increasingly severe. “Twenty years ago, a share price would fall by a few percent when it released disappointing results,” the analyst noted. “Today, if the results disappoint in any way, it falls ten to twenty per cent, much higher than previously.” This intensified reaction is partly attributed to the growing presence of foreign investors in the local market who “shoot first and ask questions later.”
The dramatic decline saw WeBuyCars crashes in market value, erasing billions of rand in shareholder wealth in mere hours. The severity of the sell-off highlights the precarious position of growth stocks in the current economic environment, where investors show little patience for companies that fail to meet elevated expectations. For ongoing coverage of this developing financial story, our South Africa news desk is providing continuous updates and analysis.
Broader Market Pressures: The Chinese Automotive Threat
Beyond the immediate dilution concerns, market observers point to broader industry headwinds that may be contributing to investor anxiety about WeBuyCars’ future growth prospects. The influx of affordable Chinese vehicles into the South African market is creating unprecedented competition for the used car sector, potentially disrupting WeBuyCars’ traditional business model.
“There is widespread speculation that cheap Chinese cars entering the South African market are putting pressure on WeBuyCars,” noted an industry expert. “With the much lower entry point for new cars, which is often cheaper than many used cars, the secondhand car market is taking strain. Many South Africans may prefer to buy a cheap new Chinese car rather than a secondhand Corolla.”
This competitive pressure represents a fundamental challenge to the used vehicle market that forms the core of WeBuyCars’ operations. As Chinese manufacturers like Chery, Haval, and BAIC continue to gain market share with aggressively priced new vehicles featuring modern specifications and warranty protection, the value proposition of used vehicles at similar price points becomes increasingly difficult to maintain.
Despite the negative market reaction, some investment professionals are advising caution against overinterpreting a single trading update. Mark du Toit from Oyster Catcher Investments highlighted that the trading update contained “very little information” and recommended that investors await the full results before making definitive judgments about the company’s investment merits.
“They had a good first half. The trading update shows that they had a much slower second half,” du Toit observed, suggesting that the market might be overlooking the company’s strong operational foundation amid the earnings per share disappointment.
WeBuyCars sought to provide context for its performance metrics in the trading statement, explaining that “WeBuyCars utilises core headline earnings to measure and benchmark the underlying performance of the business. Core headline earnings represent headline earnings adjusted for certain non-recurring or non-cash items that, in the view of the group’s board of directors… may distort the financial results from period to period.”
The company’s basic earnings are projected to rise by more than 100% from R343.1 million in 2024 to over R926.8 million when official results are released next month. This substantial operational improvement suggests that the underlying business remains robust, even if shareholder dilution has tempered the per-share benefits.
The dramatic market reaction to WeBuyCars’ trading update reflects the heightened sensitivity of growth stocks to any sign of slowing momentum. As investors increasingly favor companies that can demonstrate sustainable earnings growth without significant dilution, the pressure on recently listed firms to manage their capital structure carefully has never been greater.
The company’s audited financial results for the year ended 30 September 2025, scheduled for release on 17 November, will provide greater clarity on the company’s operational performance and future prospects. Market participants will be watching closely for management’s commentary on the competitive landscape and the company’s strategy for navigating the challenges presented by the influx of affordable new vehicles.
Tuesday’s events serve as a stark reminder of the volatility inherent in equity investing, particularly for growth companies trading at premium valuations. The episode demonstrates how even companies with strong absolute earnings growth can face severe market punishment when that growth fails to translate into improved earnings per share due to dilution. As WeBuyCars crashes through key support levels, the broader question for investors remains whether this represents a temporary setback or a fundamental repricing of the company’s growth trajectory in the face of industry disruption. Further details on this developing financial story can be found through reputable sources like Moneyweb.
