13th International AIDS Conference Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:60 (abstract no.. LBPeD7104)

Nyarandil TM
University of Nairobi, Kenya. Fax: +254-2-724590, E-mail: monari@healthnet.or.ke.

PROBLEM: HIV AIDS has posed a major problem in higher education institutions in Kenya through student and staff deaths, hence causing internal brain-drain and in terms of cost of treating HIV related diseases by the Institutions health centers.

METHODOLOGY: The University of Nairobi was used as a representative sample (survey population) studies were done by reviewing literature from the University students and staff Health records with the help of the Chief Medical Officer. Random HIV tests done between 1995-1999 indicate rates of 20-25% among students and 10- 15% among staff. About 1-2 lecturers die from HIV/AIDS per year. Due to students staying for only 4 years, many do not die while on campus. The rates estimated were found to be only second to commercial sex workers and touts. Self-administered questionnaires indicated that 83.4% of students practiced sex before marriage, of which only 47.7% used condoms. and 43. 1% were faithful to their partners. 56.9% had multiple sexual partners.

RESULTS/SOLUTIONS: The University of Niarobi Intervention program Instituted by Medical students against AIDS have put in motion training of peer educators/counsellors, to rally for change of behaviour among University students and staff. The high risk behaviour in their colleges include drug abuse buying of sex, from commercial sex workers, sex for marks practiced by some lecturers etc. Other activities of the University of Nairobi AIDS Intervention programme include mobile STD treatment in various campuses (Campus Community health) and condom dispension.

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