The results of the New Horizon Collaborative project in Cameroon, aimed at improving the management of therapeutic failures in children and adolescents, were presented on May 30, 2024, in Yaoundé.
Three years after its implementation, the New Horizon Advancing Pediatric HIV Care Collaborative project, supported by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), is already showing results. The data shows that the viral load in second-line children and adolescents has been suppressed by 76%, with 584 out of 766 sample analyses yielding positive results. The resistance rate among these children is 22%. Beyond the numbers, Dr. Patrice Tchuendjou, Country Director of EGPAF, believes that providing these results is the result of dedicated teamwork. He explains that this data will help guide decision-making to further improve the care for children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS.
Introduced in Cameroon in 2021, in five health facilities (Fosa) across two regions, the initiative now covers 7 regions (Centre, Littoral, North, Northwest, West, Southwest, East), and its services are offered in 28 Fosas. Several activities have been carried out in the previous year to achieve the objectives assigned to this project. These include improving gaps through treatment, increasing the availability of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) on the 3rd line, strengthening the capacity of healthcare personnel, and training 234 providers on various topics. While the progress made is encouraging, there is still room for improvement. Statistics indicate that the decrease in new infections is slower among youth (35%) than among adults (50%). The number of deaths among children and adolescents accounts for 25% of all deaths related to the disease. This is why Dr. Zeh Meka, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the National AIDS Control Committee (CNLS), argues that more efforts are needed. In addition to addressing the gaps and improving the monitoring and evaluation system, he says, "It is undoubtedly time to conduct a situational analysis in order to adjust the 2024 action plan, involve other stakeholders, and devise a plan to sustain this initiative."
As a reminder, the HIV prevalence rate in Cameroon is 2.7%. Girls aged 15 to 19 are more affected than boys in the same age group.
Clément Noumsi / Source Minsanté
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