Updates

Texas Children's Global Health Baylor Foundation Lesotho

<p>Baylor Foundation Lesotho</p>

In 2005, Baylor Foundation Lesotho was established through a partnership between Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) and the Government of Lesotho to address pediatric HIV care. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation’s Secure the Future initiative funded the construction and equipping of the Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence (COE) in Maseru, inaugurated by His Majesty King Letsie III on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2005. Today, Baylor Foundation Lesotho operates five Satellite Clinical Centres of Excellence (SCOEs) in Qacha’s Nek, Mohale’s Hoek, Leribe, Butha-Buthe, and Mokhotlong, along with an adolescent clinic at Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital for youth aged 14-20. The Government of Lesotho funds the basic operations of these sites through the Ministry of Health. 

Initially focused on pediatric HIV, the Foundation has since expanded its services to include TB screening, diagnosis, and care; immunizations for children under five; nutrition services; adult HIV care (testing, treatment, PEP, PrEP); cervical cancer screening; and a men’s clinic. Through projects such as ETHICS, LEADR, KB, ALPEC, CoHip-SEC, PROTECT, PINCH, and FIND TB/COVID-19, Baylor Foundation Lesotho delivers services in all districts, including those without COEs. Additionally, Foundation staff contribute to national health policies and healthcare worker training, strengthening Lesotho’s healthcare system.

2024 at a Glance

20 Years in Operation, Maseru, Lesotho

511,918 People Reached

1,156 Health Professionals Trained

481 Staff Employed

Voices of Hope: Stories of Strength, Healing, and Resilience

A powerful story of healing, empowerment, and service—‘Mamokoena Malaka shares how Baylor Foundation Lesotho transformed her life as both a patient and a caregiver.

My name is ‘Mamokoena Malaka, and Baylor Foundation Lesotho is more than just a clinic to me—it is a place of healing, hope, and opportunity. As both a caregiver and a patient, I have experienced firsthand the compassion and dedication of the staff. Here, every person is treated with dignity, respect, and kindness. No one is turned away. No one goes home without being seen.

No one goes home without being seen."

The care I received inspired me to give back. Today, I work at the Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence as a Treatment Literacy Liaison, helping patients and caregivers understand their medications. Baylor Foundation Lesotho didn’t just treat me—it empowered me. Through training and psychosocial support workshops, I have grown in knowledge, confidence, and purpose. We are more than colleagues here; we are a team, a family. 

For me, Baylor Foundation Lesotho is truly a Center of Excellence—not just in name, but in the way it transforms lives every day. I am living proof of that.

A leader in pediatric HIV care, Matsitso Mohoanyane reflects on how Baylor Foundation Lesotho transformed healthcare in Lesotho, shaping national policy and ensuring life-saving treatment reaches every child.

I am Matsitso Mohoanyane, a Pediatric HIV Coordinator at the Ministry of Health, and I have witnessed firsthand how Baylor Foundation Lesotho has revolutionized healthcare for children and adolescents in our country. Their unwavering commitment to high-quality prevention, care, and treatment services has not only saved lives but transformed the very fabric of our health system. 

When Baylor Foundation Lesotho first arrived, pediatric HIV expertise in Lesotho was limited, and child survival was uncertain. Their impact has been nothing short of extraordinary—expanding access to life-saving services through satellite clinics in remote districts and ensuring universal health coverage. Their clinicians played a pivotal role in optimizing HIV treatment by drafting national ART guidelines, training health workers, and developing job aides. 

Through their support, Lesotho has reached the global 90-90-90 milestones, proving that no child should be left behind. The Foundation’s collaboration with the Ministry of Health—whether through direct patient care, education, or shaping national policies—has changed the trajectory of health outcomes for generations to come. The overall health system will never be the same with the presence of Baylor Foundation Lesotho.

The overall health system will never be the same with the presence of Baylor Foundation Lesotho."

2023 Annual Report

Explore the achievements, progress, and impact in Baylor Foundation Lesotho's latest report.

Read the Report

Notable Programs

Expanding TB & HIV Clinical Services (ETHICS)

Baylor Foundation Lesotho implemented the USAID-funded Expanding TB and HIV Clinical Services (ETHICS) project from November 2019 to April 2023 in Butha Buthe, Mokhotlong, Maseru COE, and Mohale’s Hoek SCOE. ETHICS aimed to achieve HIV epidemic control and reduce TB and HIV transmission. Key achievements included a fourfold increase in PrEP initiations, 99% HIV status documentation at antenatal care, 93% multi-month ART dispensing coverage, and expanded TB preventive therapy, supporting Lesotho’s progress in epidemic control.

Accelerating Lesotho’s Progress to Epidemic Control (ALPEC)

ALPEC is a five-year PEPFAR-funded program, implemented by Baylor Foundation Lesotho as a sub-recipient to EGPAF. A follow-on to Strengthening Tuberculosis & AIDS Response Through District-based Programming In Lesotho (STAR-L), ALPEC strengthens HIV and TB services in Leribe, Berea, Quthing, and Qacha’s Nek. The program enhances case identification, same-day ART initiation, surveillance, and retention strategies. It also expands TB prevention, PMTCT, and PrEP services while reinforcing district-level health systems to sustain epidemic control. Implementation runs until September 2025.

Protecting Women, Infants & Children from HIV in Lesotho (PINCH)

The Protecting Women, Infants & Children from HIV in Lesotho (PINCH) project, funded by The Global Fund, aims to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV (EMTCT) by reducing transmission rates to below 5%. Operating in five highland districts, it enhances maternal-child health services, increases antenatal care attendance, and ensures timely testing and treatment for HIV-exposed infants. The project has achieved a 99.9% HIV testing rate at first antenatal visits and 100% ART coverage for HIV-positive pregnant women.

Providing Prevention and Treatment for Young People (PROTECT)

PROTECT is a 2-year, 9-month project, funded by The Global Fund, aimed at achieving an AIDS-free population among adolescents and young people. Operating in six districts, it offers community-based HIV testing, same-day ART initiation, PrEP, TB and STI screening, family planning, and cervical cancer screening. In the past year, over 9,800 HIV self-test kits were distributed, and 1,182 young people were tested, with 97% of those testing positive initiated on ART.

Karabo ea Bophelo (KB)

KB is a five-year USAID-funded program dedicated to preventing new HIV infections and reducing vulnerability among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) across all 10 districts of Lesotho. Implemented with six partner organizations, KB strengthens families, expands access to healthcare, combats gender-based violence, and promotes education. In the past year alone, KB reached 87,201 individuals, provided education subsidies, and enhanced COVID-19 vaccination awareness, ensuring holistic support for at-risk populations.

Discover more about our related programs:

Leadership & Partnerships

Leadership

Lineo K. Thahane, M.D.

Executive Director

Partnerships

Baylor College of Medicine  

Texas Children’s Hospital  

Ministry of Health Lesotho  

Ministry of Finance Project Management Unit  

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) / PEPFAR  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  

Global Fund  

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)  

Catholic Relief Services (CRS)  

Lesotho Network of People Living with HIV & AIDS (LENEPWHA)  

Centre for Impacting Lives (CIL)  

Lesotho Inter-Religious AIDS Consortium (LIRAC)  

Society for Women and AIDS in Africa Lesotho (SWAALES)  

Care for Basotho Association (CBA)  

FIND (Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics)  

Sebabatso Social Incubators (SSI)  

Featured Stories

Global Health symposium draws more than 500 participants for an exchange of ideas on innovation

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