Rich in information, and based on both analyses of secondary information and a full set of newly collected country-level data, this report is intended to be the basis for discussion within and across countries, and between countries of the Region and their development partners. This study was conducted in 2001 and included 17 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela and Uruguay. The report evaluates current national surveillance capacity and assesses national responses of the health sector to the epidemic on a country-by-country basis. Importantly, the report identifies key areas in which specific interventions are urgently needed and the challenges ahead.