Consolidated guidance for strengthening national routine surveillance systems: updated HIV case definitions, advanced HIV disease indicators and surveillance checklist

Overview

WHO’s new consolidated guidance define the core components of a strong routine HIV surveillance system. Bringing together updated HIV and advanced HIV disease case definitions, a minimum dataset for HIV case surveillance, priority indicators for monitoring advanced HIV disease and a practical surveillance checklist, the guidance provides countries with a framework for improving the quality, consistency and reliability of routine HIV data. Together these components support the monitoring of HIV diagnoses, treatment outcomes and mortality, while strengthening the use of routine data for public health action.

The guidance also emphasizes the importance of sustainable surveillance systems that are integrated within broader national health information architectures. It highlights stronger linkages with civil registration and vital statistics systems for mortality reporting, maternal and child health platforms to monitor vertical transmission, and other health information systems that support person-centred care. By promoting standardization, data exchange and regular assessment of data quality, the guidance aims to support countries in generating more complete, timely and actionable information to monitor the HIV epidemic and response over time.