The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) recently participated in the 16th Annual National HIV/TB/STI/Viral Hepatitis Conference, where Mutale Nsofu presented findings from the study titled “Evaluating the Impact of Data Quality Audits on the Quality (DQAs) of Recent HIV Infection Surveillance Data in nine districts of the Copperbelt Province”.

The study highlights how DQAs have enhanced the accuracy and reliability of HIV surveillance data in the province.

The study’s findings revealed a significant improvement in the quality of #HIV surveillance data over the period under review. Data errors decreased notably from 5,555 errors in the second quarter of 2024 to 4,097 in the fourth quarter. Additionally, missing variables such as breastfeeding status reduced by 20.8%, from 2,233 to 1,769, and pregnancy status errors saw a 30.2% decrease, dropping from 1,695 to 1,183.

These improvements indicate that regular audits and focused data quality checks have positively impacted the accuracy of surveillance data, ultimately supporting better decision-making and resource allocation in the fight against HIV.

The study proposes several recommendations to sustain and further enhance data quality. These include implementing standardised data reporting and auditing protocols to ensure consistency and accuracy across all facilities, increasing routine data auditing processes to maintain high standards, and decentralising auditing to facility, district, and provincial levels to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Additionally, integrating data quality auditing into #healthcare worker training curricula is recommended to build capacity and improve skills in data management.

CIDRZ’s ongoing commitment to improving surveillance data quality will help ensure that HIV interventions in Zambia are accurate and impactful.