Mobilising community cadres to improve the paediatric HIV response

Last updated on: 30 April 2026

The Lafiyan Yara project is a community-based response to paediatric HIV in Nigeria. Run by Society for Family Health, it aims to increase uptake of HIV services among children aged 0-14 years and to reduce mother-to-child transmission. The project works with traditional birth attendants, village health workers and patent and proprietary medicine vendors, who works to eliminate vertical transmission and identify children living with HIV as early as possible so they can be linked to care and supported to live healthy lives. Lafiyan Yara is implemented in eight local government authorities in Taraba state with support from Aidsfonds. In Hausa language Lafiyan Yara means ‘well-being of children’.

The Lafiyan Yara project is built on the Kids to Care model, using the four stages of find, test, treat and stay, where early detection of HIV can reduce infant, child and maternal mortality. To facilitate early detection of HIV, community-level mobilisers for health are engaged to conduct effective case identification and linkage to care. This factsheet showcases their impact and outlines best practices for using this model in other contexts.