PROECT SITES

The Children MOMENTUM project presently covers 16 health facilities in the following health districts in The North West Region of Cameroon ; Bamenda ,Kumbo West ,Kumbo East , Santa ,Ndu , Fundong ,Ndop and Tubah .

PARTNER

Implemented by the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, the Children Momentum project Partners with the Cameroon Ministry of public Health, Pediatric Adolescent Treatment Africa (PATA)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Children MOMENTUM Project funded by Viiv HealthCare with project title; Clinic and communities together closing the pediatric HIV gap in Cameroon started it activities in the North West Region in December 2021 with 16 project sites (health facilities) in 8 health districts and will run till November 2024 targeting CLHIV 5-14 years.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

• Scale up low cost , peer support model and introduce peer-led psychosocial support services and safe spaces for caregivers and their children that leads to improved retention in 1020 children (5-14 years) on ART from 31 percent to 90 percent in selected health facilities within 3 years.
• To introduce differentiated service delivery models through implementation of clinic –community collaboration (C3) resulting in improved viral load suppression in children (5-14years) with HIV from 70 percent to 90 percent in the project sites within 3 years of project implementation.
• To empower and upskill 100 health providers by training them in pediatric HIV DSD (Differentiated Service Delivery Models), child/adolescent-friendly health services with a focus on psychosocial support and mental wellbeing screening.
• To document and share key learnings on the clinic and community together closing the pediatric HIV Gap and advocate using CBCHS, RECAJ + and PATA platforms (national , regional and global) facilitating the voice of our beneficiaries being children, caregivers, community stakeholders /actors and healthcare providers.

POSITION OF IDF

IDF through the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) implements the Key Interventions to Develop Systems and Services for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (KIDSS) project in the Bamenda and kumbo West health Districts in the North West region. The project addresses the challenges of sustainable care and support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) by strengthening the capacities of the Government of the Republic of Cameroon, civil society, communities and households to provide quality care and support to HIV-infected and affected children and their caregivers.
Since the inception of the inception of the Children Momentum project in December 2021, IDF has fully collaborated with CMP to strengthen clinic –community collaboration to optimize service delivery to children and adolescents living with HIV. IDF its through her Children Momentum focal point has recorded the following successes with the Children Momentum project so far :

• Training of service providers on the provision of of psychosocial first aid /support to children adolescents living with HIV and their caregivers organized by CMP from 16-19 February 2022
  With restitution to case Workers to improve on the quality of psychosocial support offered to OVCs under their care
• Stakeholder committee workshop organized by CMP from the 8-9 April 2022 to identify and address issues preventing children and adolescents living with HIV from having optimal HIV treatment , sexual and reproductive health and Mental Health services with major recommendations to be implemented by IDF as a CBO at the level of the community .
• Onsite coaching and mentoring of IDF/KIDSS staff at Banso Baptist Hospital to improve skills in service provision for children and adolescents living with HIV and on ART
• IDF has developed an action plan to enhance collaboration with children Momentum project to ensure sustainability.