FAITH is the acronym for Faith-based Approach to Increase Identification and Treatment of HIV children.
The FAITH project is a transition or continuation of the UNAIDS/CI-funded GRAIL project which Caritas Nigeria implemented over the last 5 years. It is anchored on using the mechanism of faith to increase pediatric HIV case-finding with a significant exploration of the intersection between PMTCT and pediatric HIV.
Background
According to UNAIDS, only half (52%) of children living with HIV are on life-saving treatment. This situation is even more complex in African countries where the demand for HIV services is low due to the difficulty in accessing healthcare facilities.
Goal
Like its forerunner, the FAITH project aims to increase the demand for pediatric HIV services but in this case, in three African countries namely Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Congo DRC. It will achieve this by focusing on three pillars:
- Awareness raising to fight stigma and discrimination
- Prevention (Mother-to-child transmission)
- Screening, care, and linkage to treatment
As already established, religious leaders, who play the role in finding children potentially living with HIV and in reducing HIV stigma, will remain the driving force behind this project. In addition, this project will build on the previously created infrastructure linking religious leaders to the community and to health facilities.
Project Location
In Nigeria, Caritas Nigeria will work in the 3 states of Abia, Enug,u, and Imo, in partnership with Elizabeth Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)
Project strategy
The one-year project which runs from Sep 2022 to October 2023 is strategically aligned with Caritas Nigeria's ongoing PEPFAR project (ACCESS), the aim being to ensure integrated program implementation and a well-defined accountability system.
