Sergio Bautista-Arredondo

This session showed examples of programmatic improvement using data from design to monitoring, up to redefining program design and change policy. The presenters made a compelling case on the importance and usefulness of using data to shape and evolve programs.

Ambassador Birx presented results from the DREAMS project, whose objective is to reach young women and girls through comprehensive responses. Specifically, Ambassador Birx showed how data had been used for programmatic improvement in 15 countries where the DREAMS project has been implemented. Data initially was used to establishing the needs of the target population by listening to young women. Data has also been critical in shaping the services delivered and for reviewing the results and evaluating the program, which showed a 60% decline in new diagnoses by 2017. The project has continued using data looking to the future with ambitious targets on access to PrEP, preventing violence, increasing access to treatment, and preventing cervical cancer. She emphasized that “there is no point in collecting data unless you use it for planning and improvement of programs.”

The session was very successful in presenting excellent examples of data used for policy change. In addition to Ambassador Birx, Dr. Osamu Kunii presented on how the data collected by the Global Fund is at the center of programmatic improvement. The Global Fund collects data to use it along the whole process, including for fund allocation, grant ratings, and determination of annual funding amount. He highlighted the importance of country ownership to improve data availability, quality, and use. Finally, Dr. Navindra Persaud presented the innovations of the LINKAGES program on data use.