Epidemiology towards evaluation of interventions and monitoring of HIV infection in the Kagera region of Tanzania

Tanzania-Sweden research collaboration programme, TANSWED, jointly supported by the Government of Tanzania and the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

The Kagera AIDS Research Project (KARP) was initiated in 1986 to study the magnitude, spread and risk factors as well as the community response and social impact of the HIV epidemic in the Kagera region of Tanzania. A baseline survey in 1987 revealed an overall prevalence of HIV infection varying from 24% in the urban area to 0.4% in the most remote rural area of the region. Since then, the population in Kagera has formed a study base enabling epidemiological and socio-anthropological studies to be performed in order to monitor infection trends as well as the effectiveness of prevention strategies.

Studies from most parts of the region, particularly the urban area have indicated a decline in HIV prevalence and incidence among young adults. However, the epidemic is still a great public health threat in the region and in Tanzania as a whole. The epidemic itself is changing and people's response in terms of behaviour, attitude and practices equally changing. However, the direction of these changes cannot be predicted. It is therefore important that the longitudinal nature of KARP is continuously utilized to monitor the direction of the epidemic and to assess the effectiveness of current interventions so that findings can be of use to other parts of the country as well.

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