Adolescents First

“We feel comfortable, cared for, and at home at the adolescent and youth-friendly center,” says Angela, a 17-year-old adolescent receiving care in General Hospital Zing, Taraba State, Nigeria. “The educational books in addition to various games at the center will go a long way in helping us develop ourselves.”

EGPAF Nigeria Program Manager Dr. Nguavese Torbunde poses with Taraba stakeholders at the new adolescent and youth-friendly center that EGPAF refurbished at General Hospital Zing. Photo by Ivan Teri, 2022

This wonderful innovation is indeed the first of its kind in Taraba State.

This new center was launched in July 2022 by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), in collaboration with various stakeholders, to address the unique challenges faced by adolescents living with HIV.

“The center will provide an opportunity for us to meet on a regular basis and get acquainted with each other. We are able to discuss our challenges and share our experiences,” says Angela.

“This wonderful innovation is indeed the first of its kind in Taraba State”, says Madaki Emmanuel, M.D., executive secretary of the Health Services Management Board, in Taraba State. “We welcome it because it will improve the adolescents’ access to quality services. This should definitely be replicated in other facilities across the state.”

Signboard displaying the information on the Adolescent and youth friendly center in Taraba, Nigeria. Photo by Ivan Teri, 2022

Adolescents face diverse challenges such as peer pressure, self-direction, struggling with self-esteem.
With the center, they will be able to encourage each other and learn about self-care and adherence.

Globally, approximately 1.75 million adolescents are living with HIV, and an estimated 160,000 were newly infected with HIV in 2020.1 In 2017, among 40 countries with available data, only 43% of adolescents living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy, and those receiving antiretroviral therapy had lower rates of viral suppression than adults.

“Adolescents face diverse challenges such as peer pressure, self-direction, struggling with self-esteem,” says Josiah Zando, pediatric case manager at General Hospital Zing. “With the center, they will be able to encourage each other and learn about self-care and adherence.”

The centers will serve as dedicated spaces for the adolescents to access services including adherence counseling at their convenience in a comprehensive approach. The adolescent psychosocial support group at the center will provide a platform for skills acquisition, experience sharing, and peer-to-peer support with the aim of improving the treatment outcomes and quality of life of adolescents living with HIV.

Officials tour the new adolescent and youth-friendly center in Taraba, Nigeria. Photo by Ivan Teri, 2022

“The presence of the adolescent and youth-friendly centers where our adolescents of like minds would be meeting to discuss life issues is a plus to the state. This will build their confidence, self-esteem, and self-care, thus, helping them to take charge of their health and face their glorious future, “says Titus Enakwue, Taraba State pediatric and adolescent focal person (State AIDS and STI Control Agency, Nigeria Ministry of Health).

“The adolescent and youth-friendly centers are beneficial to our children,” says Francisca, a caregiver at General Hospital Zing. “Our children will feel relaxed and excited whenever they visit the health facility and will be able to play games and study at the center.”

“I believe that the availability of adolescent and youth-friendly centers will create access for us to freely visit the health facility and be relaxed,” says Angela. “We will be happy, and comfortable and learn how to take care of ourselves, and our medications, and become virally suppressed.”

Adolescents play games at the new adolescent and youth-friendly center in Taraba, Nigeria. Photo by Ivan Teri, 2022

EGPAF, with funding from ViiV Healthcare Positive Action, implements the Pediatric Breakthrough Partnership Project with the aim to end pediatric AIDS in priority locations by developing a sustainable and replicable quality package of interventions. EGPAF has implemented similar adolescent corners in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa with tremendous success, and this partnership with the Ministry of Health, facility healthcare workers, local staff and adolescents aims to apply this winning, human-centered strategy to supported facilities in Nigeria.