1. Enabling adherence to ART among
adolescents: The case of Embu Level
5 Youth Friendly Centre
By Rita Gacheri Kirema

2. Outline
• Background
• Objective
• Interventions
• Results
• Recommendations

3. Background
• Previously we used a small room located at the OPD as our youth
center. This greatly affected the adolescents visiting the site as
many felt it was really uncomfortable queuing with other out-
patient clients and lacking enough privacy to share their issues. It
was also a challenge for enhancing linkage with CCC especially to
adolescent living with HIV.
• In 2011, Aphiaplus Kamili came on board to partner with Embu PGH
and the site was relocated to a convenient and user-friendly
location. Since the relocation many youths would now freely visit
the site and the nurses at both the YFS and CCC worked together to
initiate a pyscho-social support group for youths living with HIV.
• In 2012, we had 20 adolescents on treatment and are engaged in
various youth activities linked with YFS.

4. Objectives
1. Establishment of effective youth friendly sites with
supportive service providers
2. Integrating PwP messages with adolescents:-
• Behavioral interventions for HIV- positive persons
• Prevention of unplanned pregnancies
• Knowledge of HIV status
• Provision of care and treatment
• STI screening and treatment
• Promotion of leadership by HIV-positive individuals

5. Interventions
• APHIAPLUS Kamili supports a pyscho-social support group
for 20 adolescent living with HIV, which is attached to Embu
Youth Friendly Centre
• The support group is linked to CCC and adolescents
participate in BCC interventions at community level
• The support group hold monthly feedback meetings and
participate in community stigma reduction events eg. Miss
Red Ribbon event and Straight Talk Campaign for Positive
living
• The service providers have been trained on community
PwP and provide prevention messages to clients

6. Results
• Sustainability: The support group has a strong
linkage with youth friendly center and CCC and
those who have finished secondary school have
transitioned to the other peer groups at the
center and engaging in sewing shaggy mats as an
IGA as they await to progress to college
• Peer led approach has encouraged more youths
to visit the site and boosted their self-esteem

7. Recommendations
• The Ministry of Health and partners to scale-up
youth friendly centers and ensure PwP services
are offered across the country
• Developing strategies to increase adherence
among adolescents and youth
• Incorporating prevention interventions with HIV-
positive clients
• Need for effective linkages and referral systems

9. IGA

10. Thank you!!