Kegoratile Aphane remained calm as a needle injected lenacapavir, a yellow drug hailed as potentially ending the HIV pandemic.
The 32-year-old became one of the first South Africans, and Africans, to receive the biannual treatment, offering near-total HIV protection.
“I didn’t even feel any pain,” Aphane said, smiling after receiving the two injections that form the initial dose.
Five other patients received lenacapavir Tuesday at a Pretoria clinic, part of a Wits University study funded by Unitaid.
The trial plans to enrol 2,000 participants and monitor them for a year to gauge real-world effectiveness, said Saiqa Mullick.
South Africa, with nearly one in five adults living with HIV, reported 170,000 new infections last year, the highest globally.
Until now, prevention relied on a daily pill, which many young people and marginalised groups struggled to maintain consistently.
“This twice-yearly injection will be life-changing,” said clinic manager Magdaline Ngwato, highlighting its discretion for LGBTQ patients and sex workers.
Interest in the treatment is rising, with mothers reportedly encouraging their children to receive the drug, she added enthusiastically.
For Aphane, the choice was personal; she lost her HIV-positive mother in 2021 and sought protection for herself.
Twenty-year-old student Katlego, who spoke under a pseudonym, said early access provided a vital safeguard against unforeseen infections.
A national rollout is expected next year, starting with 400,000 doses via an agreement between Gilead Sciences and the Global Fund.
While lenacapavir costs $28,000 annually in the US, generics are projected at $40 per year from 2027 in over 100 countries.
Aphane hopes the treatment will create an HIV-free future for her daughters and generations to come, saving countless lives.