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Lessons from AIDS evaluation in Uganda

Phyllis Joy Mukaire, MA, Uganda AIDS Commission, Consultant, PO Box 12537, Kampala, Uganda, 256-43-120893, joymukaire@yahoo.com, John Ssekamatte Sebuliba, PhD, Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda, and David Kawesa, MD, MPH, Uganda AIDS Control Project, District Program Coordinator, PO Box 12537, Kampala, Uganda.

This paper presents results from evaluation undertaken under several HIV/AIDS projects in Uganda. Uganda was one of the first countries to recognize and respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Late in the 1980s one of its first comprehensive national strategic responses was developed. A major shortcoming was absence of a monitoring and evaluation component. Emphasis was on strengthening the information base and capacity to undertake research with no emphasis on managing results and effectiveness. Until 2003 the main focus was more on outputs than on outcomes, making it difficult for the country to attribute its successes in fighting the epidemic to a particular model, intervention or approach. This changed with application of a practical analytical tool, Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS). Uganda has now established local monitoring and evaluation systems in 30 districts, with baseline data on coverage of twenty two national outcome indicators. M&E capacity has been strengthened in these thirty districts, each with a team of local managers who can apply LQAS methodology to measure performance and also identify priority areas. In 2005, LQAS was applied in the establishment of a systematic evaluation framework within hard-to-reach special groups of the military and internally displaced populations in Northern Uganda. The framework began with a baseline survey which was used in identification of problem areas.

Findings showed that 50 per cent of the men interviewed perceived themselves to be at low risk of HIV infection, while only 15 per cent of them correctly assessed that risk. At the same time, 35 per cent reported sex with non-regular partners; only 53 per cent had ever used a condom; only 15 per cent used a condom consistently, while a similar per cent used a condom in sex with non-regular partners.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Evaluation, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

AIDS Evaluation in Africa: What Have We Learned?

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA