Need for a Data Hub

Evidence-driven policy and programme responses are made more effective with timely, accessible and meaningful data. High quality and up-to-date data are critical for national and sub-national planning and for monitoring progress, especially given the nature of the AIDS epidemic in Asia-Pacific region, which is largely concentrated among sub-populations. The transmission pattern of HIV in the region necessitates better geographic and sub-population targeting, and improved data collection disaggregated by age and sex, along with continuous, vigilant monitoring. Furthermore, most data sets are currently maintained at the global level, whereas regional, country and sub-national level summaries, including multiple sources of HIV data are not readily accessible in one place.

Vision

The HIV & AIDS Data Hub will provide an easily accessible, interactive and dynamic web platform that enables all stakeholders to generate the data and information they need for knowledge and decision-making.

Mission

“We are a one stop online resource offering access to multiple sources of HIV and AIDS data for advocacy and evidence-based response to the AIDS epidemic in Asia-Pacific”.

The Evidence to Action Data Hub is a one-stop online resource offering easy access to multiple sources of HIV & AIDS data focusing on 26 countries and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China in Asia-Pacific. It contains analysed and readily available data products (Data sheets, Overview in slides, Maps and Reviews organised by region or thematic area) for advocacy, and evidence-based response to the AIDS epidemic in the Asia-Pacific. Its web portal: http://www.aidsdatahub.org  currently collates secondary data  from multiple sources, with approximately 50,000 data points around 1,300 indicators from over 900 unique sources.  It captures data  at national and sub-national levels comprising almost 4,000 geographic points (HADH dbase 2010). Where possible, sub national data and age and sex disaggregated data are made available. The e-library includes over 3,200 resource documents, including national strategic plans, surveillance reports, populations based surveys, tools and guidelines for users’ reference. The Hub also generates thematic papers, regional and country overviews to inform stakeholders about the state of the AIDS epidemic and national responses.  

Updated data on the Data Hub website is now disseminated on a timely basis to over 3,000 subscribers within the region through data alerts, e-Newsflash, RSS feeds and social networks – Face Book and Twitter. According to the latest monthly utility report (January 2011), the AIDS Data Hub has a regular visitor count of 10,000  from all parts of the world.  The top ten countries that visited the website in 2010 were Thailand, United States, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal and United Kingdom. Furthermore, the National AIDS Programmes in countries such as Vietnam, Nepal and Philippines had  linked up the Data Hub to their websites as a further source of data reference.

The Hub also acts as a regional platform to strengthen national, regional and global dialogues on data analyses and data quality, as well as promote a mechanism for regular data updating and monitoring.

The Data Hub is a collaboration between UNICEF, UNAIDS, and ADB as well as technical partners, namely WHO and the University of Los Angeles, California, USA (UCLA), to strengthen evidence-based action in policy, advocacy, strategic planning and resource mobilisation towards universal access to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care in the Asia-Pacific region. UNICEF East Asia-Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is the management partner that maintains the Hub's operation in Bangkok, Thailand.

The AIDS Data Hub is one component of the 'Evidence-based Advocacy for Action' project funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) through the Asian Development Bank.

Objectives

The overall goal of the Data Hub is to support national authorities and their partners in Asia and the Pacific with the use of comprehensive data to plan and deliver effective, scaled-up HIV responses. By improving access to and utilization of strategic information, the project aims to strengthen the practice of data use to enhance policy and programmatic responses to those at risk, those infected and affected by the AIDS epidemic. The Data Hub project aims to generate an accessible, easy to use database, containing data on HIV vulnerability, risk behaviours, infection and disease, the impact of the epidemic and responses to it, for use by governments, the public, researchers, the UN system and donors.

The Data Hub aims to promote and enhance:

• the timely collation, analysis, utilization and sharing of HIV data at various levels (country, regional and global), to support evidence-based action in policy, advocacy, strategic planning and programming for universal access to HIV prevention and AIDS treatment and care.
• the collation of data of all major indicators on HIV risk, vulnerability, prevalence, infection estimates, economics of AIDS and national responses in 26 countries and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China of the Asia-Pacific region.
• the quality and analysis of HIV data, including data disaggregated by age and sex, and sub-national data, in order to guide coordinated local responses to HIV and AIDS.
• the provision of a repository of updated data, surveys and reports from countries in order to disseminate knowledge of the current HIV & AIDS situation, trends, projections, resource investment, and policy and programmatic responses. Data are updated as soon as they are available.
• the collaboration with countries to monitor the AIDS epidemic, identify gaps in data resources, undertake analyses and generate further knowledge of new risks and trends where responses are needed, through a twice-yearly epidemic and response alert.
• the facilitation of a knowledge network, or e-forum, among epidemiologists in the Asia-Pacific region on data quality, analysis and utilization for effective HIV prevention, treatment and care.