SA and Zambia’s HIV shot dilemma: Demand versus supply
Early data shows South Africans and Zambians have a big appetite for the twice-yearly HIV prevention injection. But clinics don’t yet have enough doses for everyone who wants it. It’s a balancing act: how do you persuade people to want a new medicine when there isn’t enough of it to go around? The post SA and Zambia’s HIV shot dilemma: Demand versus supply appeared first on Bhekisisa .
Early reports indicate a strong desire among South Africans and Zambians for the biannual HIV prevention injection known as lenacapavir. However, clinics are currently struggling to meet this demand due to limited supply. Rumours could potentially spread if the situation is kept quiet, but promoting LEN too aggressively might lead people to overcrowded, out-of-stock facilities.
Zambia has been attempting to address this challenge by spreading information about LEN in communities proximal to clinics that have the injection in stock. South Africa, on the other hand, plans to be transparent about the availability of LEN, hoping to strike a balance between generating interest and managing expectations. The key challenge is how to generate demand for a new medicine when the supply is insufficient. For lenacapavir to make a significant impact, it requires both demand and adequate supply.
Written by urgent.news from Bhekisisa's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
