Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117859

Norma Patricia Rivera Scott, Global Health Department, Rollins School of Public Health, Hubert Humphrey Fellowship, 1518 Clifton Road NE, 7th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30322, (404)251-9348, nprscott@yahoo.com and Rudy C. Rosales de Molinero, Ministry of Health, M&E Unit, National STI/HIV/AIDS Program, Secretaria de Salud de Honduras, Programa Nacional de ITS/VIH/SIDA, Barrio El Jasmin, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

ISSUE: Honduras II National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan, PENSIDA II:2003 - 2007, defined four priorities: To achieve a proper balance between care and prevention, build a comprehensive response, strengthen response coordinating mechanisms, develop a national M&E system. DESCRIPTION: Honduran experience based on UNAIDS "three ones" guidelines: ONE coordinating body: CONASIDA - the National AIDS Committee established by the Special AIDS Law in 1999. ONE national guideline: PENSIDA II, formulated with broad participation of GOs, NGOs, donors and vulnerable populations. ONE M&E system; including the design, M&E plan, identification, prioritization and construction of indicators, CRIS training and strengthening of the national M&E committee. LESSONS LEARNED: Myth 1: M&E is only a formal bureaucratic procedure. LESSON 1: M&E can become a catalyst from plans to actions; Myth 2: AIDS justifies endless, EMPIRICAL, activism LESSON 2: M&E represents an aggregated value for meaningful action; Myth 3: Honduras has plenty of funding for M&E and for AIDS response in general. LESSON 3: Current spending isn't enough. Myth 4: HIV/AIDS M&E systems are highly developed worldwide LESSON 4: There is still a long way to go, from data to information to effective interventions (UNGASS First Follow-up reporting rate = 54%); Myth 5: 20 years fighting AIDS have generated broad amount of strategic information LESSON 5 :Strategic HIV/AIDS information is a rare, valuable asset and still a main challenge RECOMMENDATIONS: To control and revert HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide, requires the promotion of an evidence-based, sustainable HIV response, through M&E, transparency, debt relief and poverty reduction strategies

Learning Objectives: After this presentation, participants will be able to

• Describe the role of M&E in the development of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS response
• Discuss myths and realities on M&E and HIV response in Honduras

Keywords: Health Information Systems, HRSA

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.