This activity is linked to HVSI HSPH (9242), HLAB MOH/VAAC (9505), HLAB HCMC-PAC (9503), and HLAB APHL (9499).

PEPFAR will continue partnering with the Hanoi School of Public Health (HSPH) in FY07 to build sustainability for data management activities in units within the MOH/VAAC that will have the capacity to implement similar activities on a national scale in the future. While PEPFAR has partnered with HSPH in FY06 for development of patient information systems, this is the first time PEPFAR will work with HSPH for assistance in laboratory data management. HSPH will receive support from PEPFAR to procure appropriate technology for standardizing recordkeeping in laboratories in the 7 PEPFAR focus provinces that do not have an electronic Laboratory Information System (LIS) and provide training on these tools to 14 laboratory staff.

HSPH has experience in providing basic computer training as well as facilities that can support training for large groups. In addition, their staff has an in-depth knowledge and experience of the types of information technology tools required to support public health and clinical activities. PEPFAR, together with the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), will provide guidance to HSPH on the procurement of tools to support the needs of the laboratories. HSPH will collaborate with VAAC to conduct trainings on these tools in focus provinces. The training will focus on capacity building including basic computer use, as well as standard international technologies such as bar coding and label printing for laboratory staff in primary health facilities and secondary and tertiary-level referral facilities.

An LIS training officer will be hired by HSPH to coordinate procurement activities with vendors and develop training material in collaboration with VAAC and PEPFAR as well as monitor the quality of training. These trainings will be coordinated as appropriate with patient monitoring systems training provided by the PEPFAR Strategic Information team.

This activity is linked to MTCT MOH/VAAC (9384), HVCT MOH/VAAC (9511), HTXS MOH/VAAC (9398), HLAB APHL (9499), and HLAB MOH/VAAC(9505).

Hanoi School of Public Health (HSPH) is currently the GVN partner with the greatest capacity for training and support in M&E, HIV/AIDS information systems development and support, and data analysis and use including data disaggregated by sex. HSPH has drafted a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the MOH/VAAC to provide these services to VAAC, NIHE, the 4 VAAC regional M&E centers, and at the provider level throughout Vietnam. HSPH has a PEPFAR-supported training room with 48 networked computers and state-of-the-art presentation equipment.

HSPH has developed a curriculum in conjunction with VAAC to transfer knowledge specific to HIV/AIDS public health activities to HSPH students. FY07 funding will support the expansion of the HSPH curriculum to include HIV/AIDS SI-related trainings for 24 individuals to develop an SI public health workforce.

Ongoing activities include implementation of CAREWare, a HHS/Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS/HRSA) electronic patient monitoring system for HIV/AIDS care and treatment, laboratory external quality assurance (EQA) software, and Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) for Vietnam and development of relevant training materials for implementation. HSPH will also provide direct TA to VAAC for counseling and testing (CT) and M&E information systems. When a counterpart university is identified in HCMC, HSPH will assist HCMC-PAC in developing that university's capacity to provide similar support for HCMC.

Finally, PEPFAR will support HSPH to develop in-service and pre-service training curriculum on data use, M&E, systems development, and surveillance methodology for HIV/AIDS programs. These trainings will be available to Masters of Public Health, Bachelors of Public Health, and HSPH In-Service training program students. PEPFAR will support HSPH to train 200 individuals in SI and provide SI TA to 8 organizations.

After discussing this activity with the partner it was apparent that the funding level was insufficient based on their costing. After consulting with the National M%E Technical working group the PEPFAR Team identified Hanoi School of Public Health as an appropriate and willing partner for conducting this activity in Vietnam with technical support from the PEPFAR Team and their Agency HQ technical staff.

Narrative from Tulane: PEPFAR will support Tulane University in FY2007 to partner with the University of Social Science and Humanity-Ho Chi Minh City (USSH HCMC) to conduct a survey on general population HIV/AIDS risk behaviors, attitudes and beliefs with a component focused on additional data collected on people identifying as clients of CSW.

With FY05 funds, PEPFAR supported an AIDS indicator survey to collect information on knowledge, sexual behavior, and attitudes about HIV/AIDS among the general population. The SI 5-Year Strategic Plan included a repeat of the survey to detect changes in trends over time. However, the AIDS indicator survey results recently obtained indicated almost no risky sexual behaviors among men and women aged 15-49, while other data exists in Vietnam that indicate otherwise. Rather than continue with household-based general population surveys, PEPFAR in FY2007 will collect more pertinent information on linkages between the general population and MARPs. To obtain relevant information for program planning and policy development, a survey will be conducted in FY2007 to identify risky behaviors in a general population sample with a focus on identified clients of CSW. The proposed survey will apply methodologies proven effective for collecting sensitive sexual behavioral information in the cultural context of Vietnam and will be carried out in PEPFAR focus provinces, where an integrated biologic and behavioral surveillance (IBBS) among MARPs will also be conducted.

Tulane will partner with either an international or local NGO or research institute to conduct the survey. A general questionnaire will be designed to collect individual characteristics, knowledge of respondents, and their behaviors related to HIV. An extended questionnaire will be used to focus on specific risk behaviors for those who engaged in premarital sex, extramarital sex, or sex with CSW. Data from IBBS and the general population surveys will be analyzed to obtain a more comprehensive and complete

picture of the knowledge and behaviors among the general population and MARPs in the 7 focus provinces. Tulane will provide SI TA to 2 organizations and training in SI for 10 implementing staff.

This activity is reprogrammed to HSPH. After discussing this activity with the partner it was apparent that the funding level was insufficient based on their costing. After consulting with the National M%E Technical working group the PEPFAR Team identified Hanoi School of Public Health as an appropriate and willing partner for conducting this activity in Vietnam with technical support from the PEPFAR Team and their Agency HQ technical staff.

This activity is linked to HVSI MOH/VAAC (9376) and HVSI NIHE (9244).

PEPFAR will support Tulane University in FY2007 to partner with the University of Social Science and Humanity-Ho Chi Minh City (USSH HCMC) to conduct a survey on general population HIV/AIDS risk behaviors, attitudes and beliefs with a component focused on additional data collected on people identifying as clients of CSW.

With FY05 funds, PEPFAR supported an AIDS indicator survey to collect information on knowledge, sexual behavior, and attitudes about HIV/AIDS among the general population. The SI 5-Year Strategic Plan included a repeat of the survey to detect changes in trends over time. However, the AIDS indicator survey results recently obtained indicated almost no risky sexual behaviors among men and women aged 15-49, while other data exists in Vietnam that indicate otherwise. Rather than continue with household-based general population surveys, PEPFAR in FY2007 will collect more pertinent information on linkages between the general population and MARPs. To obtain relevant information for program planning and policy development, a survey will be conducted in FY2007 to identify risky behaviors in a general population sample with a focus on identified clients of CSW. The proposed survey will apply methodologies proven effective for collecting sensitive sexual behavioral information in the cultural context of Vietnam and will be carried out in PEPFAR focus provinces, where an integrated biologic and behavioral surveillance (IBBS) among MARPs will also be conducted.

Tulane will partner with either an international or local NGO or research institute to conduct the survey. A general questionnaire will be designed to collect individual characteristics, knowledge of respondents, and their behaviors related to HIV. An extended questionnaire will be used to focus on specific risk behaviors for those who engaged in premarital sex, extramarital sex, or sex with CSW. Data from IBBS and the general population surveys will be analyzed to obtain a more comprehensive and complete picture of the knowledge and behaviors among the general population and MARPs in the 7 focus provinces. Tulane will provide SI TA to 2 organizations and training in SI for 10 implementing staff.

This activity is linked to OHPS MOH/VAAC (9414).

PEPFAR will support the Hanoi School of Public Health (HSPH) to lead the training of 238 public health professionals in HIV-related management.

In FY05 and FY06 PEPFAR provided technical and financial assistance to the HSPH to support the development of an HIV/AIDS program management curriculum, and recruit and train a cadre of 24 regional trainers on HIV/AIDS program management which incorporates Total Quality Management (TQM) principles. The 24 provincial trainers are associated with 3 regional management training centers located in Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City. These key centers provide ongoing training to Health Department staff, support to provincial HIV/AIDS programs, support to improve local training curricula, alumni tracking and other services.

In FY 07, PEPFAR will continue to support the HSPH to organize and implement 3 training courses in applied TQM. Training of trainers (ToT) courses will initially be attended by 24 provincial and district-level HIV/AIDS health staff (doctors, nurses, laboratorians, VCT counselors, project managers) after which an additional 142 individuals will be trained. HSPH provincial staff will make 2 rounds of supervisory visits to the students to evaluate and provide mentorship and support to the application of TQM principles in the workplace. All alumni will be invited to join the TQM network of HIV/AIDS provincial staff and participate in an annual conference where projects are showcased, best practices shared, and peer support, refresher training programs and guest speakers are available. PEPFAR will continue to provide technical assistance and support to the 3 regional management training centers to enable them to conduct the third round of the TQM program using classroom-based training and practical field-work.

HSPH will also coordinate and implement a project management course which was originally developed for PEPFAR-Vietnam staff in FYO6 by the HHS/CDC Atlanta-based Sustainable Management for Development Project (SMDP). SMDP continues to provide technical assistance and oversight to the HSPH to coordinate and manage the development of TQM activities which will be adapted for provincial HIV/AIDS health workers in the 6 current and 1 additional PEPFAR focus provinces. This course will include an introductory module on HIV/AIDS strategic planning at the provincial level and discusses linkages between the provincial and national strategies through MOH/Vietnam Administration AIDS Control (VAAC). These concepts are then linked to the more pragmatic realities of project management which will focus in capacity development in organizational management, strategic thinking, budgeting, evidence-based decision-making, advocacy, and monitoring and evaluation. A module on the practical aspects of proposal writing will also be offered. As with the applied TQM program this course will be carried out in all 3 regions. With PEPFAR support, the HSPH will develop the curriculum and offer a ToT course to 24 trainers at the training centers in Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City. The 24 trainers will then offer courses to 72 different provincial health staff. After the first cycle of graduates, a conference will be held to provide additional support, skill-building, reinforcement of principles learned, and peer networking.

As VAAC expands its mandate to coordinate HIV/AIDS activities in Vietnam, there will be increased demand for individuals trained in HIV/AIDS program management. VAAC and HSPH are currently developing an agreement to establish a collaborative structure between the two agencies. PEPFAR will work closely with VAAC and HSPH to assess and strengthen human capacity for sustainability, an area of emphasis in the PEPFAR 5-Year Strategy (see OHPS HCD Assessment). PEPFAR will also continue to partner with the HSPH to focus on building the capacity of provincial HIV/AIDS program managers to plan, design, implement and evaluate HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs effectively.

Although there are no plans in the FY 07 COP to expand either program beyond 6 current and 1 planned focus province, this is a program that could easily be expanded to the national level.