Supporting the Development of Evidence-Based Policies
and Programmes:
Towards an HIV and AIDS Research Agenda for the Department of Social Development
Report on Identification of Information and Research Gaps on the Impact of HIV & AIDS and Research Priority Needs

Report submitted by Gill Schierhout, Malcom Steinberg and Anthony Kingorn

The National Department of Social Development (DSD) faces the challenge of responding to the socio-economic threats of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. This report covers the third and final phase of an overall project on research gaps. The report aims to document research that has been done on DSD’s HIV and AIDS response and on DSD’s partnership with the social cluster. It also aims to identify research gaps and the work done by DSD in refining its research strategy and in increasing the use of research for informing planning, policy and programmes. The study has three broad objectives:
• To identify the research priority needs of DSD in terms of the impact of HIV and AIDS on DSD’s policies, programmes and services.
• To develop a searchable data base of key selected research for publication on the website of the Chief Directorate: Population and Development.
• To determine with DSD programme managers a process for commissioning the prioritised research and a process for integrating and monitoring the use of HIV and AIDS-related research for policy development and planning.

The Extent Of Functional Integration Of Hiv And Aids Services At Local Level In South Africa

WITS HEALTH CONSORTIUM & DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

 Executive Summary

The impact of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic continues to undermine social development achievements, such as the efforts for fostering self-reliance and institutional development, which are meant to reverse the legacies of apartheid. While finding a definite cure for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and AIDS has remained elusive, a lot has been learnt about mitigating the impact of the disease in its various forms. One lesson has been that the disease has impact and implications in areas beyond health, and the response needs to adopt a multi-sectoral strategy and engage stakeholders from across sectors, institutions and disciplines. A multi-sectoral strategy demands the integration of HIV and AIDS services into the core activities of all public sector departments and civic organizations through well-coordinated intersectoral collaboration. The success of such integration efforts has to be based on a solid understanding of the varying service delivery paradigms across the relevant sector departments. Services are delivered at local level, and the effectiveness of the response as it emerges from all levels of government and society, is only as relevant as the difference this makes in people's lives. In the light of this, the Department of Social Development (DSD) undertook this study in order to understand the influence, processes and outcomes of integration at local level.

The aims of the study were:
• to review perspectives, standards and national policies for integrated HIV and AIDS
services
• to review experience of integration through published literature and case studies
• to identify the components of integrated HIV and AIDS services at local level, at nine
sites in South Africa
• to identify lessons, challenges and recommendations regarding functional integration
of HIV and AIDS services