Research News

The Global HIV/AIDS Initiatives Network (GHIN) has published a series of policy briefs combining the network’s research findings in Zambia. In Zambia approximately 14% of adults 15-49 are estimated to be HIV positive and more than 800,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS. Collaboration between the Zambian government and Global Health Initiatives has attempted to meet the challenges posed in Zambia by up-scaling HIV/AIDS services. These services 'aim to control the spread of the disease and provide treatment, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS'.

GHIN, was set up in 2006 as a means to monitor efforts at improved service provision by Global Health initiatives (GHI). GHIN countries undertaking 2-4 year studies are as follows: Angola, Benin, China, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam and Zambia. GHIN hopes to add value to the research in each of these countries by: (1) Promoting comparability through common research protocols and tools; (2) Sharing expertise across country study teams and building research capacity: (3) Generating multi-country comparisons and context-specific policy lessons; and (4) Coordinating dissemination of findings and recommendations and streamlining communication with global stakeholders.

GHIN provides an incredibly valuable role in knowledge dissemination and uptake, by bringing crucial research together on this all important health issue. Zambian research has provided a series of reports that unpack and review progress in areas such as the scaling-up of HIV/AIDS services and the coordination and governance of service initiatives. For example, GHIN researchers outlined in their research that in the scale-up of HIV/AIDS services massive progress had been made, and underline where the most gains have taken place.

This was followed by a series of practical recommendations to improve service responses. One of the recommendations here was that 'High and low performance should be the subject of audits so that lessons can be learned and appropriate corrective action can be taken, including the establishment of outreach services, the strengthening and expansion of fixed facilities and quality improvement measures implemented where necessary.' It is this type of practical insight that can make a real difference to those people dealing with HIV/AIDS.

More Information

• You can play a part in the Network and keep track of research findings by signing up to the GHIN newsletter
• DFID support to the GHIN allowed them to build the GHIN database, a research based evidence tool for those interested in identifying sources of research in Global Health, HIV and AIDS