STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT INFORMATION UNIT (SIMU)


MONITORING & EVALUATION

Data Collection, management, analysis and use of various information sources are the key for monitoring the epidemic and evaluating the response at different levels. The Strategic Information Monitoring System (SIMS) is an integrated web-based data reporting and management system. It captures the programme monitoring data monthly from over 30,000 facilities and users across the country for various components of the HIV/AIDS Control Program i.e. ICTC, TI, Blood banks, STI/RTI, IEC, laboratories and DAPCU. SIMS portal is backbone of the programme monitoring under National AIDS Control Programme. The portal also enables the analysis and dissemination of wealth of data generated under NACP. The information procured and data generated from SIMS forms the background for drafting the Annual Action plans and programme management.

In A & N Islands it captures the programme monitoring data monthly from over 42 (13 ICTC+26 FICTC+1DSRC+1Blood Bank+1IEC) facilities across A & N Islands under various components of the HIV&AIDS Control Program.

As country moved towards fast track targets and aims to “End of AIDS by 2030”, the system is crucial to assess the progress towards stated targets and goals. There are various information management systems at place to manage and monitor the patient records and data. Major information systems of NACO are SIMS (Strategic Information Management System), PALS (PLHIV ART Linkage System), IMS (Inventory Management System).

PLHIV-ART LINKAGE SYSTEM (PALS)

NACO has implemented PLHIV-ART linkage System (PALS) in India for tracking & monitoring of cascaded of services provided to HIV Positive general individuals including pregnant women and their child. PALS allows the tracking services provided by different health facilities at different time points & geo-locations. All States/UTs have implemented PALS and reporting data in it.

SOCH – STRENGTHENING OVERALL CARE FOR HIV

The objective of Project SOCH is to create a beneficiary-centric web and mobile based system, to track and record, beneficiary service and inventory transactions in the National HIV program to improve service delivery and beneficiary health outcome. The system will capture inventory and service delivery information pertaining to individual beneficiaries throughout the HIV continuum, create a centralized repository of EHR (Electronic-Health Record) and facilitate forecasting, inventory planning and clinical decision support.

SOCH runs across and seeks to completely digitize all 5 key aspects of the National HIV Program. These are
  • Prevention through Targeted Interventions for Key Populations
  • Testing and Detection through Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres
  • Care, Support and Treatment through ART Centres
  • Viral Load suppression for PLHIVs
  • Lastly, the Inventory module to provide a centralised and transparent view to oversee all stock under the program
NACO has implemented the SOCH application in December, 2020. In Andaman SACS has initiated after completion of the online virtual SOCH Training on 13.01.2021.
Hence, the PALS Software is closed and it is merged in SOCH. Here after, SOCH will be the reporting format for daily entries for individual client. Computer system at all ICTCs is connected with internet facility..

HIV SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE

India has one of the world’s largest surveillance systems for monitoring the HIV epidemic. HIV Sentinel Surveillance is conducted to monitor trends in prevalence of HIV infection over time in different population subgroups and in different geographical areas and to identify emerging pockets of HIV epidemic, and, thus, provides inputs to programme for strengthening prevention and control activities. HSS in India was formalised in 1998 and currently in 2021, the 17th round is being implemented. In A & N Islands, it is conducted in four ANC Sites.
The sentinel sites have been scaled up in a phased manner from 176 in 1998 (including 92 ANC sites) to 1323 sentinel sites (including 829 sites among ANC sites) in 2017.

Objectives of HSS
  • To find the prevalence of HIV infection in different population subgroups and in different geographical areas
  • To monitor trends in the prevalence of HIV infection over the period of time.
  • To generate data for use in HIV estimations and projections.
HIV sentinel surveillance is carried out once in two years in designated sentinel sites over a period of three months.

The recommended sample size is 400 for ANC sites. In A & N Islands out of the four ANC Sites, three are Composite ANC Site and one Single site. “Composite Site” is a Sentinel Site where required number of samples is collected from 2-5 locations/facilities, in contrast with single site, where all samples are collected from one location. Each composite site has 2-3 sub-sites with total samples distributed among them.