South Africa: Patients Turned Away As Lenacapavir Rollout Stumbles in Parts of Pretoria

It’s been two weeks since Gauteng began rolling out lenacapavir (LEN), but patients in parts of Pretoria are yet to get the jab due to HIV testing kit shortages, lack of staff training, and power failures.

It took Health-e News community journalist, Lucas Phelwane, four separate visits to Reefentse Community Health Centre in Stinkwater, north of Pretoria, to receive the injection.

“I had Monday, 15 June, marked on my calendar as the day I was going to get the LEN injection. But my excitement was short-lived. The nurse who was meant to administer the shot said she had been on leave and did not undergo the training.”

Phelwane was told to return on Wednesday 17 June.

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“It was after 12:00, and I was taken to a container where others were waiting for the jab. An assistant politely told me that I should have come in the morning. The nurse who administers LEN has to take on other duties after noon.”

On the morning of Friday, 19 June, Phelwane made his way to the facility again. “But after undergoing all the necessary screenings, it was time for the staff to knock off. I was told to come back on Monday.”

Finally, on his fourth visit to Reefentse Community Health Centre, Phelwane received the LEN injection.

Soshanguve clinics lack staff training

When Health-e News visited Block TT Clinic in Soshanguve, also north of Pretoria, on 8 June – official rollout day in Gauteng – the clinic was turning patients away. The reason: the HIV test kits required to start lenacapavir “hadn’t been verified”.

Anyone starting PrEP – pre-exposure prophylaxis – needs to get tested for HIV first.

“We were told the test kits have not yet been verified, and we can’t risk working with unverified resources,” a counsellor told Health-e News.

When asked if patients could bring their own HIV results, clinic staff said no.

“The only time we can assist is when we test you ourselves. We advise you to buy your own test kit and bring it, and then we can assist. However, we advise patients to wait until next week,” a staff member said.

Health-e News returned on Thursday, 18 June, only to encounter more obstacles. This time, it was due to staff not being trained.

“The nurse elected to lead the rollout was on sick leave and hasn’t been trained yet,” another nurse said. “The delay is likely to extend to the beginning of July. We advise patients to check back then or visit nearby clinics that have started.”

At Clinic 2, in Block G, also in Soshanguve, it was the same story. The staff meant to administer the jab had yet not been trained, and “the delays could run into July.”

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