This paper argues that there is surprisingly very little good quality information available that would enable the levels and thus trends in national HIV prevalence rates to be accurately monitored. Population based surveys are the only reliable indicator of the levels of HIV infection among men and women according to age, location and socio-economic background. And yet, there is virtually no population-based survey data in most of the high-prevalence countries, including Botswana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland.