Tamale, Nov. 26, GNA - The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) with funding from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) on Friday presented computers and their accessories to 18 assemblies in the Northern Region to assist them in the HIV/AIDS data management and also facilitate timely reporting to the Commission.

The computers consist of UPS, a system unit and specifically designed software by the GAC that can easily connect to the GAC website far all information needed by the district focal persons. Mr Joseph Dasana, Northern Regional Coordinating Director received the computers on behalf of the Assemblies. Dr Angel El-Adas, the Director General of the GAC, said in a speech read on her behalf that although the Commission had over the years been at the forefront in strengthening the monitoring and evaluation system for effective national response the recent review of the National Strategic Framework identified some key challenges in the data management systems at the decentralized level.

She mentioned some of the challenges as poor data quality, late submission of reports by most Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies, little or no local analyses and use of data for decision making due to weak capacity and inadequate monitoring by the Regional and district Aids commissions. Dr El-Das said it was to help address these challenges that the Commission in 2008 re-positioned the monitoring and evaluation system with greater focus on refined data collection and the establishment of a functional national database. The Director-General said it was to further enhance the system that the Country Response Information System (CRIS) a software designed by the UNAIDS to help countries in collecting and managing national response monitoring and evaluation of data was introduced. Dr El-Adas said as the Commission moved into the next phase of its response under the National Strategic Plan (NSP 2011-2015) there was a need for stronger monitoring and evaluation system to help measure the success or otherwise of the national response for the next five years. She stressed the need for more coordination and monitoring at the regional and district levels, adding that in this direction the GAC had decided to set up regional and district level technical support units. "This strategic move will further strengthen coordination and management of the decentralized response and facilitate the identification and provision of technical assistance in areas of need in the regions and districts", Dr. El-Adas. 26 Nov 10