Leaving no child or adolescent in the response
Children and adolescents are too often overlooked in pandemic responses, despite being particularly vulnerable. Diagnosis is often delayed, their specific needs are insufficiently addressed, and continuity of care is inconsistent. To tackle this, L’Initiative has made pediatric health a priority in its response. It supports the development of age-specific approaches rooted in local contexts and realities to overcome barriers and co-develop practical solutions with professionals, communities, and young people themselves.
Structuring healthcare services to include youth
L’Initiative is committed to making young people full actors in their own health. It supports projects that promote listening to their needs, their participation in decision-making bodies, the development of their leadership skills, as well as awareness-raising and advocacy activities led by the youth themselves. By empowering them, L’Initiative helps build a future with and for young people.
“La Ruta”: An innovative series on sexual and reproductive health
The episodes of the mini-series “La Ruta” explore topics related to gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infection prevention, as well as access to healthcare for people with disabilities in the Dominican Republic. Through the stories of Carlitos, Alondra, and Zelba, the audience is informed and encouraged to embrace social and behavioral changes in sexual and reproductive health. This innovative awareness-raising tool is implemented as part of the LISS project, supported by L’Initiative.
The EVA network is dedicated to children living with HIV
Dr. Gérès Ahognon recently served as the head of the Children and HIV in Africa Network (EVA), which brings together pediatric HIV care centers in twelve French-speaking African countries. He reflects on the specific needs of children and adolescents living with HIV—only 37% of HIV-positive children are diagnosed, compared to 86% of adults—and on the actions led by the EVA network to address these challenges.
Enhancing pediatric support
Young children are among the most vulnerable populations in the face of pandemics, particularly in the context of TB-HIV co-infection and the associated stigma. L’Initiative supports projects aimed at protecting them, notably by strengthening the capacities of frontline actors to ensure timely and appropriate care.
TB_PEC@2.0: Caring for the youngest children
In Cameroon, pediatric tuberculosis remains a major public health issue. The TB_PEC@2.0 project targets children under the age of five and is developing a model of reference for active case finding and cost coverage in pediatric TB care. The goal: to improve diagnosis and treatment initiation. The project is implemented by the organization For Impacts in Social Health (FIS). Bertrand Kampoer, Executive Director, shares insights into the challenges and achievements of TB_PEC@2.0.
“The advanced stage is one of the last major challenges in HIV care”
Each year, 630,000 people worldwide die from HIV despite expanded access to antiretroviral therapies. Many patients enter the healthcare system with advanced HIV disease. A precise management protocol can save their lives, provided that doctors are well trained and have access to appropriate tests and treatments. With the support of L’Initiative, the Global Fund, and the WHO, a team of doctors has developed a dedicated “toolkit”. David Masson, a pediatrician specializing in HIV, contributed to this initiative.
