Quality information is the basis of good decision making in health care provision, and in-service training or continuing medical education for health personnel ensures that standards of good clinical practice are maintained. Even when antiretroviral drugs are not yet directly available or affordable by the health systems or patients, the attention generated by these drugs in the media is such that carers need to be equipped with regularly updated information that is technically sound and regularly updated.

Information needs to be at a level appropriate for the user and in suitable language.

The targeted populations should include: Decision-makers, Health-care professionals in both public and private sectors, Patients, Family and carers and the General Public.

Every HIV care centre accredited or regulated to provide and monitor ART should therefore design an information and training plan as an integral part of the treatment programme. This represents a cost-effective intervention in its own right and training programmes on comprehensive clinical care of HIV, including ART, should be initiated at country level and tailored to local needs.

SOME SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR TRAINING:

The World Health Organisation
Initiative on HIV/AIDS and STI
20 Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland.
Fax: 41 22 791 4834
Web site: http://www.who.int/HIV_AIDS/STI
E-mail: hiv-aids@who.int

UNAIDS Documentation Centre
20 Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland.
Web site: http://www.unaids.org

Enhancing Care Initiative
Harvard AIDS Institute
651 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
USA
Web site: http://www.eci.harvard.edu

SHARE Educational Programme
International AIDS Society (IAS)
Rome Branch
Via dei Sabelli 195
00185 Rome
Italy
Fax: 39 06 4461400
E-mail: ias.share@flashnet.it
Web site: http://www.ias-share.org