Paediatric HIV Breakthrough Partnership
The Paediatric HIV Breakthrough Partnership is an ambitious initiative committed to ending paediatric HIV in regions most urgent. It aims to strengthen collaboration between community, health facilities, government, health care providers and civil society, placing communities at the heart of the response. Aidsfonds, together with the Elisabeth Glaser Pediatric Foundation, PATA and UNICEF, collaborates in this partnership which was initiated and funded by ViiV Healthcare Positive Action.
Aidsfonds’ contribution focuses on piloting and scaling community-led responses to paediatric HIV, ensuring that children and their mothers have access to a comprehensive package of services to keep them healthy. Building up on our existing community work, in 2020 we launched activities with our community partners N’weti in Mozambique, Society for Family Health in Nigeria and CHAU, Health Need Uganda and NAFOPHANU in Uganda. In 2023, we expanded to Tanzania and Cameroon, partnering with Action for Community Care and KidAID, respectively, while the Uganda programme closed in July 2025.
Aug 2024 - Jul 2025
209,504
people tested
2,994
positive tests
12,660
people on treatment
88.3%
viral load suppression
1,449
service providers trained
The role of Aidsfonds in the partnership
Aidsfonds plays a central role in the coordination, grant management, and strategic advocacy of the Breakthrough Partnership, working with five community partners across four countries. The focus is on improving access to paediatric HIV services, strengthening community systems, and influencing policy and funding landscapes.
We directly co-fund community-based paediatric HIV response programmes in Mozambique, Tanzania and Nigeria. At the global level, we support advocacy efforts through partnerships with GNP+ and Coalition for Children Affected By AIDS. We also invest in linking & learning activities – such as documentation, publication, events and webinars – in close collaboration with our community partners.
I think the value added and the really special and unique role that Aidsfonds plays is its role with community partners
Jenny Cozins, Head of Positive Action ViiV Healthcare
Achievements per country
Cameroon
Community partner: KidAIDCoverage: across 20 health facilities in 8 districts
Period: Dec 2024 – July 2025 (8 months)
Activities: strengthening of district-level coordination; training of over 150 healthcare providers; improving clinic-community collaboration; support of community-based HIV testing, peer-led support groups; introduction of economic empowerment initiatives like savings groups; advocacy efforts led to policy changes improving adolescent access to HIV services.
Achievements:
8070 individuals tested for HIV, with 130 people testing positive
724 people living with HIV are currently on ART
47 community campaigns reached over 25,000 people
312 service providers trained
The community learning document as part of the Breakthrough four-month pilot phase by KidAID in Cameroon, is available for download.
Mozambique
Community partner: N’wetiCoverage: across 16 health facilities in Inhambane Province
Period: Aug 2024 – July 2025
Activities: strengthening HIV service delivery through community dialogues, mobile youth-friendly health services, and peer support groups; training of 132 service providers; supporting viral load monitoring; improving linkage to care through home visits and community testing; scale-up of economic empowerment initiatives and school-based health education.
Achievements:
36,647 individuals tested for HIV; 771 tested positive
2,089 people living with HIV currently receive ART
1,207 people showed viral load suppression
3197 people received adherence support
Nigeria
Community partner: Society for Family HealthCoverage: 93 primary healthcare centres in Taraba and Rivers States
Period: Aug 2024 – July 2025
Activities: training of over 200 healthcare workers; implementation of weekend clinics and peer-led support groups; introduction of innovative testing approaches; strengthening community-facility collaboration; and advancing policy advocacy for stigma reduction and age-appropriate disclosure.
Achievements:
97,959 people tested for HIV; 1,162 tested positive
4,643 people with HIV currently on ART
462 adolescents living with HIV enrolled in psychosocial support programs
17 paediatric health facilities implemented Social Network Testing, HIV self-testing, and Family Index Testing
Tanzania
Community partner: Action for Community CareCoverage: across 18 health facilities in Dodoma region
Period: Aug 2024 – July 2025
Activities: Expanded services to 6 non-PEPFAR sites; training of over 60 healthcare providers; strengthening viral load monitoring; enhancing adolescent-friendly services through Teen Clubs; improving community engagement via community health workers, mentor mothers, and Village Savings and Loan Associations; and supporting disclosure, psychosocial support, and economic empowerment for caregivers.
Achievements:
18,416 individuals tested for HIV; 154 tested postive
1,095 people currently on HIV treatment
869 people achieved viral suppression
447 adolescents participated in Teen Clubs
95% viral suppression rate among children and adolescents in supported facilities
The community learning document as part of the Breakthrough four-month pilot phase by Action for Community Care in Tanzania, is available for download.
Uganda
Community partners: CHAU, Health Need Uganda, NAFOPHANUCoverage: across 84 health facilities in 13 districts
Period: Aug 2024 – July 2025
Activities: strengthening community–facility linkages; training of Village Health Teams, Young Adolescent Peer Supporters and healthcare providers; support of HIV self-testing and outreach; and improving viral load monitoring; transitioning services to government ownership and integrating HIV care into primary health services following the US Stop Work Order.
Achievements:
58,147 children and adolescents tested for HIV over two years
714 HIV-positive people identified
4,662 children currently on ART
2,920 people living with HIV achieved viral load suppression
1,044 caregivers supported through Village Savings and Loan Associations
89-94% viral suppression rates achieved across reporting periods
A change story from Uganda
This change story outlines the country’s shift from donor-dependent models to community-led, government-owned solutions that ensure long-term access to life-saving treatment for children and adolescents living with HIV. The Paediatric HIV Breakthrough Partnership in Uganda has ended, with its activities successfully integrated into national and district health systems. The Ministry of Health and local governments now lead implementation, embedding paediatric HIV services into policies and budgets. Community-led models such as Village Health Teams and peer supporters are formally linked to government structures, ensuring sustainability and continued care for children and adolescents living with HIV.
‘Nobody can solve the community’s problems, but the community’ – Happy Betty, EGPAF
Objectives of the programme
- End paediatric AIDS in priority locations by supporting the implementation of a high-quality package of sustainable and replicable interventions, guided by the UNICEF Paediatric Service Delivery Framework
- Generate and amplify the evidence demonstrating that a collaborative approach – bringing together national stakeholders including government, clinics, and communities, is effective. Advocate for governments and other stakeholders to adopt and scale this approach[/accordion]
Community Breakthroughs: stories from Uganda
Community Breakthroughs: stories from UgandaCommunity breakthroughs: an inspiring collection of voices on community-led interventions by Aidsfonds and Ugandan partners under both the Breakthrough Partnership and the Kids to Care programme, has been collected and presented in the “Community-led interventions for an HIV-free Generation” storybook.
Download the story book
Funded by
The Breakthrough Partnership is supported by a grant from the ViiV Healthcare Positive Action Programme. We are thankful for this unwavering support.
Partners
Partner with us!
Aidsfonds is interested in working together to further strengthen community leadership, increase HIV prevention choices, and improve treatment outcomes and quality of life of people living with or exposed to HIV. We want to talk to anyone who shares our dream and wants to join us on a journey toward a world free of AIDS.
Get in touch!
