Decision No. 08/2007/QD-BYT on approving the Action Program for HIV/AIDS Surveillance, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Programs

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the Action Program for Monitoring HIV/AIDS,

tracking, and evaluating the program,

____________________________

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH

Pursuant to Decree No. 49/2003/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

Pursuant to Decision No. 36/2004/QĐ-TTg dated March 17, 2004 of the Prime Minister approving the National Strategy on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control in Vietnam until 2010 with a vision to 2020;

At the proposal of the Director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STDs, and the Head of the Department of Legal Affairs;.

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Action Program for Monitoring HIV/AIDS, tracking, and evaluating the program attached hereto, which includes the following main contents:

1.Objectives of the program

1.1. General objectives:

To provide accurate, timely, and comprehensive information for planning and developing effective policies on HIV/AIDS prevention and control; to comprehensively monitor all activities related to HIV/AIDS prevention and control; to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention, preventive, care, and treatment activities under the national HIV/AIDS prevention and control program.

1.2. Specific objectives:

a) Establish a system for monitoring HIV/AIDS, tracking, and evaluating the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program from central to local levels;

b) Improve the national guidance system on monitoring HIV/AIDS, tracking, and evaluating the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program;

c) Standardize data on HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluating the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program nationwide;

d) By 2010, 100% of provinces with HIV testing laboratories will be authorized to confirm HIV-positive cases and at least eight laboratories will have the capability to diagnose HIV using molecular techniques and virus isolation;

đ) By 2010, 100% of tests will be conducted in accordance with regulations on voluntary counseling and testing, and at least 100 voluntary counseling and testing centers will meet national standards;

e) By 2010, 100% of key provinces will achieve sample sizes for HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, implementing integrated serological and behavioral surveillance;

g) Implement periodic national surveys on the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program;

h) By 2010, 100% of provinces and cities will have the capacity to track, evaluate, and forecast HIV/AIDS/STI infections.

2.Main solutions

2.1. Organizational solutions:

a) Strengthen the HIV/AIDS monitoring system, build and improve units responsible for tracking and evaluating the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program at all levels;

b) Enhance unified leadership and coordination from central to local levels; regularly organize inspections and supervision of the monitoring, tracking, and evaluation systems for the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program.

2.2. Technical solutions:

a) Develop national guidelines on technical implementation of the monitoring, tracking, and evaluation program for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

b) Improve the system for collecting data, reporting, and managing the HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation program for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

c) Supply equipment, upgrade infrastructure, enhance human resources, and popularize HIV testing laboratories, voluntary counseling and testing centers meeting standards, units for collecting, storing, transmitting, and sharing information on HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

d) Enhance international cooperation in the field of HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

đ) Implement scientific research to serve HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

2.3. Solutions to enhance management capacity

a) Develop policies to attract human resources for the HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation system for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

b) Train and retrain staff involved in HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention and control at all levels;

c) Increase technical support from higher levels to lower levels in HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

d) Strengthen inspection and supervision of the HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation program for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

đ) Develop standardized training materials and tools for national training on HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

e) Develop and organize national trainers on HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention and control. National trainers will be selected from central, regional units, and universities and research institutes related to this field;

g) Organize scientific seminars, national and international conferences on HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation for HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

2.4. Solutions to strengthen resources

a) Funding for tracking and evaluating the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program will be structured at 15% - 20% of the total funding allocated for the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program, including foreign aid;

b) Enhance cooperation with all domestic and international organizations participating in the HIV/AIDS prevention and control program to mobilize maximum resources for the HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluation program for HIV/AIDS prevention and control;

c) Gradually socialize HIV testing and counseling services by charging a portion of the costs.

Article 2. Implementation

1. The National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STDs, under the Ministry of Health, is the national-level unit responsible for monitoring HIV/AIDS/STI, tracking, and evaluating the program, bearing overall responsibility for directing and managing the implementation of the national action program on HIV/AIDS/STI monitoring, tracking, and evaluating the program at the national level, coordinating with relevant units to develop plans and organize their implementation.

2. The Central Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology is responsible for technical support for the HIV/AIDS/STI surveillance system, monitoring, and evaluating the national program together with the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute, the West Highland Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute, and the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, which are four units responsible for regional-level surveillance, monitoring, and evaluating the HIV/AIDS/STI program, planning, organizing, implementing regional-level activities of the program, and reporting periodically to the National AIDS Control Center; managing, directing, monitoring, and evaluating the activities of the HIV/AIDS/STI surveillance program, monitoring, and evaluating the programs of provinces and cities within their regions and hospitals and units under the Ministry of Health located in the areas they oversee.

3. The Health Departments of provinces and centrally governed cities shall direct relevant units to establish provincial and city-level units for HIV/AIDS/STI surveillance, monitoring, and evaluating the program, under the direction of the Health Department, coordinating with departments, sectors, projects involved in HIV/AIDS prevention and control, and other related units at the provincial and city levels, responsible for planning, organizing, implementing HIV/AIDS/STI surveillance activities, monitoring, and evaluating the program within their respective provinces and cities, and reporting periodically to the regional-level HIV/AIDS/STI surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation units.

4. District, County, and Town Health Centers are responsible for organizing and implementing surveillance, monitoring, and evaluating program activities at commune, ward, village, and hamlet levels.

5. It is requested that the Steering Committees for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control of Ministries and Sectors cooperate with the Ministry of Health to plan, organize, and implement approved program activities within their respective units.

6. Based on this Action Plan, the National AIDS Control Center will provide guidance, monitor, supervise, and compile periodic reports on the implementation of the program to be submitted to the Minister for reporting to the Prime Minister.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 4.The Heads of the Office, the Director of the National AIDS Control Center, the Heads of the Treatment, Legal Affairs Departments, the Directors of the Central Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology, the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute, the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute, the West Highland Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology, the Directors of Health Departments of provinces and centrally governed cities, the Heads of units under the Ministry, the Health Chiefs of sectors, and related units are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.