Monitoring and evaluation: Brazilian National STD / AIDS Program.

The overall objective of the Brazilian National STD/AIDS Program is to reduce morbidity and mortality due to STDs and to HIV/AIDS and to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS. To achieve these goals the program includes six major components: prevention assistance and care surveillance and forecasting institutional development research and vaccine development and human rights. The main intervention strategy being implemented to reduce transmission of HIV/AIDS and other STDs is to promote safe practices related to sexual parenteral and vertical forms of transmission ensuring access and quality as well as proper diagnosis and treatment services. In order to assure sustainability of a decentralized strategy the program proposes to strengthen public and private institutions responsible for STD and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment at the state and municipal levels. This paper presents the national experience with monitoring and evaluating HIV/AIDS prevention and control efforts in Brazil. From the perspective of the monitoring and evaluation process it includes multiple sources of information which are presently being considered as baseline data for development and application of evaluation strategies and prevention indicators. The data and background information are being presented and analyzed within a historical perspective of main events at different time periods and important contextual changes. (excerpt)