Formulating a Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Research Agenda in Asia and the Pacific

National Institutes of Health, USA

Representatives of Cambodia, China, India and the Philippines presented plans for a comprehensive HIV/AIDS research agenda for their countries, examining the resources needed, and the ways in which affected communities would be involved. The presenters were representatives of government agencies responsible for HIV control, and were clearly focused on biomedical priorities with considerable emphasis on need for capacity building and resources. While social and behavioural research was mentioned, it was evident that the structures through which these were expected to be conducted, were largely biomedical, and that skills in these areas were limited in these countries. The presentation from India was comprehensive, including several biomedical and social and behavioural issues, but largely from a quantitative approach. A range of issues was presented, focusing on measuring the impact of policies and programs in place, with a plan for involving affected communities. In the discussion that followed, several neglected areas were pointed out such as young people and gender issues, intersection between drug use and sexual risk, the absence of long term, large studies, and training on evaluation of the impact of interventions. There was an emphasis placed on capacity building for a wide variety of research and the need to consult all stakeholders in developing the research agenda and a coordination mechanism to manage such an agenda.