Rwanda will soon introduce a new measure in the fight against HIV/AIDS, based on the use of an injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug.

The announcement was made on the World AIDS Day on Sunday, December 1.

World AIDS Day, designated on December 1 every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic.

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According to statistics from Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), there are an estimated 230,000 people living with HIV in Rwanda, of whom 96 per cent know their status. Among those who know that they are HIV positive, 98 per cent are on anti-retro viral treatment.

Speaking during the day, Dr. Basile Ikuzo, the Director of the HIV Prevention Unit at RBC, said that the statistics further show that there are 3,200 new infections annually, and these are mostly among the youth.

He pointed out that the country’s preventive measures will be focusing more on sensitisation especially among the youth and some specific high risk groups of people.

"Currently, there are many measures that our country is implementing through the Ministry of Health, focusing on increased sensitisation especially among the youth, but also among those groups of people who are at high risk, for example, sex workers,” he said.

"By the end of this year, we will introduce in our program an injectable drug for the prevention of HIV,” Ikuzo said.

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Introduction of a new preventive measure

Such preventive drugs, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), are a form of medication used to prevent HIV infection. PrEP is a general term for the use of medications to prevent the spread of the disease in people who have not yet been exposed to a disease-causing agent.

Ikuzo also pointed out that all health centres and hospitals in the country provide services for fighting HIV free of charge. In addition, he said, there are some private health centres that offer such services free of charge as well.

"We call upon every Rwandan to take part in the preventive services, as well as taking the lead in testing for HIV to know their status,” he noted, adding that there is a need to continue fighting against stigma directed at people living with HIV and those who seek services related to the HIV fight.

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Claude Mambo Muvunyi, the Director General of RBC, noted that the day is "an opportunity for us to reflect on the progress we have made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, but also to remind ourselves of the work that remains to be done.”

Talking about theme for this year "End AIDS, my Responsibility,” he pointed out that it echoes a crucial truth that the fight against HIV is "a shared responsibility, and it requires all of us, as individuals, communities, governments, and organization partners, to work together towards a world free of AIDS.”

There were 1.3 million new HIV infections globally in 2023.

The Rwanda Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (RPHIA), a comprehensive country-wide survey conducted in 2019, showed that the prevalence of HIV among Rwandans aged 15-64 is 3 percent.

The WHO has targets that by 2025, 95 percent of all people living with HIV should have a diagnosis, 95 percent of those should be taking lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART) and 95 percent of people living with HIV on treatment should achieve a suppressed viral load for the benefit of the person’s health and for reducing onward HIV transmission.

Rwanda is one of the countries that have made significant achievements in managing HIV/AIDS, having reached the "95-95-95” target set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

On the occasion of the World Aids Day, RBC launched a six-month nationwide campaign to intensify the fight against HIV/AIDS and related health challenges like Mpox.

The campaign will focus on four key areas including raising awareness, increasing access to services, and ending stigma and collaboration with communities.