Overview
NUL HIV and AIDS Programme was established in response to the national call for action by all stakeholders to respond to HIV and AIDS through, among others, by the Labour Code (Amendment) Act No 5 of 2006, the National HIV and AIDS Policy, the Higher Education Sector Strategic Plan (2007-2015) and NUL‚s own Strategic Plan 2005-2015 which identified AIDS as a threat. NUL launched an AIDS Policy in September 2009, with seven (7) thematic areas of Policy, Prevention, Capacity building, Care and Support, Community outreach, Resource mobilization and Research, monitoring and evaluation. The AIDS Programme falls under Vice Chancellor’s office.
NUL AIDS Programme comprises a main committee namely NUL HIV and AIDS Committee (NULHAC) – which is drawn from stakeholders, faculties, institutes and departments that support the teaching, learning, consulting and research functions of NUL. NULHAC has a Working Committee which looks after short-term activities of NUL‚s response. The key personnel for NUL AIDS program is the Coordinator.
Services
NUL HIV and AIDS program provides the following services:
HIV Testing and Counseling (HTC): Under this service, students and staff are encouraged to undergo testing as part of the national Know Your Status (KYS) campaign. Testing is done using national HTC protocols, is free and readily accessible at NUL clinic during working hours between 08h00 to 17h00;
Prevention and Knowledge Building: The Programme undertakes prevention initiatives to reach out to clients at institutional and community levels, through workshops and seminars for students and staff and addresses the seven thematic areas of NUL AIDS Policy;
Support for Research and Learning: The AIDS Programme undertakes research and service audits to inform internal and external interventions. Students and staff access basic AIDS Program data to support additional research. The Program provides periodic reports to internal users and partners;
Healthy Lifestyle Initiatives: The Programme hosts health and HIV/AIDS campaigns in collaboration with local partners to mobilize students and staff to undergo HIV testing, donate blood via transfusion services, check body mass indices, blood pressures, blood glucose levels, health education etc. It commemorates days such as World AIDS Day, Cancer Day, No-Tobacco and TB days among others.
Staff
The Programme should have one principal staff – the Coordinator. It only employs additional staff where there is lack of special skills to implement specific programme activities and special projects in line with the 7 thematic areas.
NUL AIDS Coordinator – Vacant