|
HIV surveillance is the systematic and regular collection
of information on the occurrence, distribution and trends in HIV infection
and factors associated with infection for use for public health action.
Surveillance is conducted among populations who are at the highest risk of
acquiring HIV and thus, are most critical for interventions. Since 1992, the
National AIDS Programme has been carrying out
annual HIV sentinel sero-surveillance survey.
The sentinel groups included are pregnant women attending
the antenatal clinics, new military recruits, blood donors as low risk
population, injecting drug users, male who have sex with male, female sex
workers and male patients attending sexually transmitted infection (STI)
clinics as high risk populations. Male STI patients and Antenatal samples are
collected in all AIDS/STD Team sites, IDU samples in Yangon, Mandalay, Myitkyina,
Lashio, Taungyi and Muse,
FSW samples in the same area except Kyaingtong for
FSW instead of Muse, MSM, Military recruits, blood
donors in YGN & MDY and new TB patients in selected townships. TB
patients sample were included since 2006 in HSS program and new TB sentinel
sites were expanded year by year and now 20 sites have been implementing HSS
survey. In order to implement HSS in accordance with standard operational
procedure, the National AIDS Programme organized
intensive training for new TB sites and for newly implemented AIDS / STD team
sites.
In 2008 HIV sentinel surveillance, HIV prevalence was the
highest among MSM followed by IDUs. FSWs HIV prevalence has been 18.45 and Male STI patients
5.4%. Among AN women the median prevalence was 1%.
For New TB patients, New Military recruits and Blood donors HIV prevalence
have been 2.5%.
The HSS refresher training has been provided by National
AIDS program, National TB program Manager and Microbiologist for allied
subject matter before the start of survey with a wide overview of HIV
epidemic, survey methodology, ethical issue, HIV testing strategy, eligible
criteria and other essential issues. AIDS/STD and TB teams were notified to
collect the eligible samples by following the criteria from the guideline and
filling forms systematically for data precision in order to achieve the quality
survey data to present the national figure.
In this training, the survey result of 2009 was released
for the case study or example for discussion and clarification from each
site. There was time for discussion to improve the HSS survey year by year
from the experience of each HSS because all 34 sites STD team leaders were
present together and shared their experiences. By this way the trainees will
be able to implement HSS for better result from lesson learnt in the
training.
For 2010 HIV Sentinel Survey, all sentinel sites
laboratories have been assigned to do the HIV testing and then all positive
cases and 10% of negative cases samples have to be sent to State/ Divisional
standard laboratory. Revised HSS manuals 2010 in English with updated
information were shared to trainees during training. HIV sentinel
surveillance 2009 results will be disseminated to compare the trend of HIV
prevalence in Myanmar
with previous year soon.
|
