WHO Endorses 10 Measurements For HIV Epidemic
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended simplified indicators to measure the reach of HIV services, and the impact achieved at both the national and global levels.
The new Consolidated strategic information guidelines for HIV in the health sector, developed in partnership with the Global Fund, UNAIDS, UNICEF and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) were launched at the 3rd HIV surveillance consultation in Bangkok, Thailand.
The new consolidated guidelines recommend the use of 10 global indicators to collect information along the cascade of HIV care and treatment as a principal way to track epidemics and responses.
These indicators are: Number of people living with HIV, domestic funding, coverage of prevention services, number of diagnosed people, HIV care coverage.
Other indicators are, Treatment coverage, Treatment retention, viral suppression, number of HIV deaths and number of new infections.
Based on essential information collected on these 10 key areas, HIV specialists will be able to assess the scale of the disease, and the impact achieved as a result of the investments made in a country, or globally.
“In today’s context of moving towards even more ambitious HIV goals, countries need much more comprehensive, yet simplified tools to collect HIV strategic information, which is the main objective of the guidelines,” said Dr Daniel Low-Beer, WHO’s Coordinator for HIV Strategic Information and Planning.
