On Nov. 1, 2022, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe announced that it had approved the use of long-acting injectable cabotegravir as pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention.

WHO recommends that CAB-LA may be offered to people at substantial risk of HIV infection as part of comprehensive HIV prevention approaches. Two large studies showed that CAB-LA injections every 2 months were safe, well-tolerated, and highly effective in reducing the risk of HIV acquisition. WHO released comprehensive guidelines, calling for countries to consider this effective prevention option, and highlighted the need for implementation science to support its introduction. CAB-LA is the third PrEP product recommended by WHO for HIV prevention. Tenofovir-based oral PrEP was recommended in 2015 and the dapivirine vaginal ring, another long-acting product, in 2021. The availability of these 3 products provides increased choices for HIV prevention.

Until now, CAB-LA has only received regulatory approval in 2 high-income countries. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its use for HIV prevention in December 2021, and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved it in August 2022. Zimbabwe is the first country in Africa, and first low- and middle-income country, to approve CAB-LA for HIV prevention.