Pediatric Clinic Transitions Young Adolescents to the MTRH Rafiki Centre

The 28th of April 2023 was a big day for the USAID AMPATH Uzima family as its Pediatric Clinic celebrated and ushered 85 adolescents to the MTRH Rafiki Clinic as their new care home.

The transition ceremony was celebrated with many cakes!

Children living with HIV face unique challenges in managing their health, including navigating social stigma, accessing care and adhering to medication regimens. They require specialized care that meets their evolving needs as they enter adolescence to support their health and well-being. Transition ceremonies are a vital element of the care program at AMPATH.

As Victor Cheboi, a clinician at Module Four Pediatric Clinic, explains, "Transition is a ceremony of graduating children from the pediatric clinic to the adolescent clinic. When we are moving them from Module 4, it means they have been disclosed (know their HIV status and understand why they are on medication). Once they graduate into the MTRH Rafiki Centre, they will attend the clinic on their own and will not be accompanied by their parents."

This transition helps adolescents feel more independent and empowered to manage their health. As Cheboi notes, "Children in their early ages have bonded with the Pediatric Clinic but once they get to 15 years they need to be transitioned. The transition ceremony makes them aware that they are in a different age set."

During the transition, they are introduced to the staff at Rafiki Center which is very important as these clinicians, nurses, and peers play a crucial part in their care journey.

USAID AMPATH Uzima Chief of Party Professor Sylvester Kimaiyo praised the Module Four team for their hard work and welcomed the adolescents to Rafiki

The MTRH Rafiki Centre of Excellence in Adolescent Health, coined from the word ‘Rafiki’ which means friend in Kiswahili, was established in 2016 and offers a safe space for adolescents. It provides them with a range of services that includes HIV care and treatment, counseling, nutrition support, sexual reproductive health services including Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) Clubs where they learn a variety of life skills to ensure they thrive.

The Module Four Pediatric Clinic serves over 500 patients and has successfully transitioned eight cohorts of adolescents to the MTRH Rafiki Center of Excellence in Adolescent Health over the last seven years.

USAID AMPATH Uzima Chief of Party Professor Sylvester Kimaiyo praised the Module Four team for their hard work and welcomed the adolescents to Rafiki.

“Welcome to Rafiki. Here you will learn how to understand the challenges of adolescents and gain a lot of knowledge. My office is always open when things get tough, and we will try what we can to find a way through it. Feel at home and congratulations."