Civil society organisations are urging Zimbabwe to include people who use and inject drugs as the country expands access to long-acting HIV prevention drug lenacapavir.

Harare has recorded an estimated 1,341 new HIV infections annually among people aged 15 to 24, prompting health authorities to intensify prevention and awareness programmes.

The US Embassy in Harare has disputed Minister Zhemu Soda's explanation for Zimbabwe's rejection of a US$365 million health agreement, saying the proposed deal was intended to support HIV, TB, malaria and other public health programmes.

A new investigation alleges that some Zimbabwean poultry farmers are illegally using antiretroviral medicines intended for HIV patients to reduce chicken mortality and speed up broiler growth, raising significant public health concerns.

Harare, Zimbabwe- Zimbabwe has become one of the first ten African nations to launch the rollout of Lenacapavir, a breakthrough HIV prevention drug developed by Gilead Sciences. Unlike traditional Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which requires a daily pill, Lenacapavir is administered via an injection every six months, offering what experts call "near-total protection" for high-risk groups.