photo: James Pursey

Strategic Information & Evaluation

Photo: James Pursey, 2010

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) is a

recognized global leader in the fight to prevent pediatric HIV

infection, eliminate pediatric AIDS, and create a generation free

of HIV through program implementation, research, public policy,

and advocacy. Since 2000, EGPAF, through support from the U.S.

Government, multilateral, and private donors, has played a key

role in the scale-up of comprehensive HIV care and treatment

services in the regions of the world most affected by HIV

and AIDS.

As a leading partner of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS

Relief (PEPFAR) supporting national prevention of mother-to-

child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and HIV care and treatment

programs, EGPAF provides technical assistance for strengthening

national data systems through astandards-based approach with

a focus on the following key areas:

• Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems

• Health information systems

• Quality improvement (QI)

• Data quality assurance and improvement

• Evidence-based program management

• Program evaluations

EGPAF’s support for strategic information and evaluation (SI&E)

includes a strong focus on capacity building and increased

ownership of SI&E activities for ministries of health and local

organizations. Through training and mentorship, EGPAF provides

crucial technical assistance for assessing and strengthening local

SI&E capacity.

EPGAF supports hands-on, lifesaving services at nearly 8,000 sites around the world. As of September 2015, EGPAF had:

Reached more than 23 MILLION women with access to services to prevent

transmission of HIV to their babies

Tested 20 MILLION pregnant women for HIV

Enrolled over 2.4 MILLION people including over 188,000 children, into care

and support programs

Initiated 1.4 MILLION people, including over 119,000 children under the age of 15 years, on ART

EGPAF’S IMPACT

Strengthening National Monitoring and Evaluation Systems

EGPAF provides direct support and capacity building to ministries

of health to develop, roll out, and strengthen M&E systems at

national, district, and site levels with a focus on processes and

systems for generating, analyzing, reporting, and archiving data.

EGPAF supports the development and use of patient-monitoring

tools, such as paper-based registers, files, and electronic patient

tracking systems. Capacity building efforts include supporting

ministries of health to develop and implement SI&E capacity

building plans to address challenges with staff recruitment and

retention, as well as efforts to improve work flow and redefine

roles to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the system.

EGPAF also seconds staff to ministries of health in order to fill

key human resource gaps, and has developed and facilitated in-

service trainings for health care workers and data clerks on topics

such as data quality assurance and data management.

IMPROVING TURNAROUND TIME FOR EARLY INFANT HIV

DIAGNOSIS (EID)

In Tanzania, EGPAF works with the central laboratory to reduce

turnaround time and sensitize staff on EID. These efforts have

resulted in a reduction of turnaround time to two weeks and an

increase in the percentage of eligible infants receiving ART, from

48% to 97.4%.

National Health Information Systems

EGPAF supports local governments to develop, implement, and

strengthen national health information systems, with a focus on

monitoring the HIV/AIDS epidemic and analyzing, interpreting,

and using surveillance data for epidemic modeling and program

improvement. EGPAF also supports ministries of health to use

electronic data systems; develop national- and subnational-

level HIV/AIDS data repositories; facilitate data reviews; revise

databases to accommodate new guidelines; and integrate

databases (including antenatal care, PMTCT, HIV, and maternal,

newborn and child health data) to streamline data collection

and use.

Quality Improvement (QI)

EGPAF supports ministries of health to integrate QI activities into

national M&E systems. Efforts are focused on routinely collecting

programmatic data for assessment and improvement of quality of

care. EGPAF also assists in the development and implementation

of strategies for assessing and improving the quality of health

care services through district- and facility-level comprehensive

quality management plans, which use plan, do, study, and act

cycles. Specific support includes training, mentoring, provision

of tools, and development of standard operating procedures

(SOPs).

Data Quality Assurance and Improvement

To improve the usefulness and accuracy of data at national

and subnational levels, EGPAF supports the design and

implementation of data quality assurance strategies. Assistance

includes developing and/or adapting guidance, tools, templates,

and SOPs; planning and supporting data quality assessments and

audits; conducting and facilitating supportive supervision for

data management staff at various levels of the health care system;

and supporting improved data quality standards.

SUPPORTING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

EGPAF has supported ministries of health to develop joing M&E

and QI tools in Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Uganda, and Tanzania.

Evidence-based Program Management

EGPAF promotes evidence-based program management

and improvement. By building the capacity of ministry of

health staff, EGPAF strengthens the use of routinely-collected

programmatic and management data for planning and decision

making, and facilitates course corrections. Across many EGPAF-

supported countries, EGPAF works with ministries of health to

hold quarterly data reviews for health facility managers to review

data and share experiences and lessons learned.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES

In Tanzania, EGPAF uses SMS printers at 113 health facilities to

accelerate the return of lab results. The printers have helped

improve turnaround of results for early infant diagnosis of HIV to

less than two weeks. EGPAF also uses SMS messages to send

appointment reminders and health education messages.

Program Evaluations

EGPAF also participates in the planning and implementation

of program evaluations, including support for the development

of protocols, data collection and analysis, and dissemination

of evaluation results. In addition, EGPAF, in collaboration with

its donors and ministries of health, conducts routine midterm

and final evaluations for many of its programs across EGPAF-

supported projects. Midterm evaluations facilitate course

corrections to improve program performance and ultimately

program impact.

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