Regional Initiative for the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and CS in LAC: Regional Monitoring Strategy

This document from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) provides strategies and tools to support the Regional Initiative for the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (MTCT) and Congenital Syphilis [CS] in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region. It provides the rationale for establishing a common monitoring strategy (for both the joint elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis), arguing that such a strategy is needed to track progress of the elimination initiative at the regional level. The document is intended for national AIDS and sexually transmitted infection (STI) programme managers, maternal and child health programme managers, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) specialists.

This document:

1. Provides a recommended set of indicators for monitoring country and regional progress toward elimination of MTCT of HIV and CS - example: percentage of pregnant women who were tested for HIV and received their result during pregnancy, during labour and delivery, and during the postpartum period (within 72 hours of delivery), including those with a previously known HIV status;
2. Facilitates use of data and indicators for programme planning and evaluation;
3. Enables comparisons among countries and over time of progress toward the elimination goal; and
4. Provides key elements for the certification of elimination of MTCT of HIV and CS.

The document also provides a structured description for generation and interpretation of each of the essential regional indicators at the national level. Each indicator is accompanied by an indicator reference sheet that provides detailed information on measurement, data sources, frequency, and rationale.

Communication-related implications may be highlighted in this excerpt from the report: "Clarity and standardization of the basic core recommended indicators for the initiative will facilitate strengthening of information systems. It will also guide ultimate use of data and indicators for program planning and evaluation, including an appropriate assessment of the magnitude of syphilis and HIV in pregnant women, congenital syphilis, and the effectiveness of PMTCT interventions. Common indicators will enable country and regional comparisons over time and between countries, contributing to increased regional visibility and sharing of lessons learned."