The National HIV/AIDS Secretariat in collaboration with UNDP in an effort to develop the human resource capacity of their personnel have started a two week training programme for Monitoring and Evaluation staff on data analysis as part of the support to capacity building in the area of research monitoring and evaluation, which is one of the key priority areas of the National HIV/AIDS strategic plan.
The training programme which is designed for both International and National Monitoring and Evaluation officers is expected to monitor and evaluate the National HIV/AIDS response in Sierra Leone in line with the third one of the three ones principles.
These include: the coordinating collecting, synthesizing analyzing M&E data guaranteeing quality assurance, data use and dissemination.
To also report data to government and donors to write activity reports, to provide guide lines to other unit to implement the M&E activities as planned to conduct monitoring supervision and evaluation activities, to conduct assessment studies researches and projects.
To assure the capacity building of M&E and programme officers of the unit staff members and that of stake holders.
In the light of the above, crucial role of the M&E unit in the entire national response to HIV/AIDS the training according to UNDP HIV/Gender programme analyst Adama Thorlie the training is justified and timely as it aims at equipping staff with the requisite tools and skills to perform fundamental tasks in data analysis using the SPSS software tool.
The training she added, would add value to the development and management of any meaningful scientific work that must be informed by empirical evidence and statistical facts.
By Solomon Rogers