HIV/Aids is neither perceived nor experienced by the majority of staff and students as an immediate problem, except by those who have lost a relative, friend or colleague to the disease, or who are themselves suffering an Aids related illness.

This is according to a book, The impact of HIV and Aids on higher education institutions in Uganda, published this year basing on research conducted at Makerere University and an unnamed National Teachers College (NTC).

Written by Ms Anne R. Katahiore and Mr. Edward K. Kirumira, the booklet was published by Unesco's International Institute for Educational Planning.

Findings from the research show that, "In both institutions, the top management did appear to consider HIV and Aids a major problem partly because they were facing more visible and competing problems such as inadequate resources, low staff salaries and inadequate infrastructure, among others, which they considered to be of greater urgency."

The research further noted that staff and students at both institutions reported cases of Aids related illnesses, absence and deaths among staff and students, although in both cases, students' deaths were reportedly more difficult to establish, especially as neither institution kept records of such incidences.

Also contained in the research is that the majority of staff and students interviewed reported that students and lower cadre staff were at greater risk of being exposed to HIV and Aids.

"Female support staff and female students were perceived to particularly be at risk," wrote the authors, "Male staff and students who engaged in alcohol abuse and searched for it where local jins were brewed and sold were perceived as being at greater risk since such places were also notorious for prostitution."

Stigma associated with the disease has kept away many from seeking and utilising available voluntary counselling and testing services for HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART). This was more visible at Makerere University where these services are free, according to the authors.

Basing on evidence from the study, the authors made a number of recommendations, among which is the need to sensitise the top management of higher education institutions on the potential impact of HIV and Aids on their institutions.

They added: "Higher education institutions need support to develop HIV and Aids policies that favour HIV prevention, address treatment, care and support, and impact mitigation, in accordance with the sector policy and guidelines developed by the Ministry of Education and Sports."

The authors think it is imperative to assist higher education institutions to develop education management information systems "that are sensitive to HIV and Aids for purposes of monitoring their impact on student and staff absenteeism, death and attrition."

Introduction of reproductive health services is yet another proposal that the authors suggested. This, they wrote, might assist the administrators in gauging much more accurately the magnitude of HIV and Aids in their institutions.

"Access to treatment for opportunistic infections, ART and psychosocial support for infected and affected persons would be helpful as well," they added.