World employers commited to address HIV/AIDS issues in workplace

Mexico City – The 17th International AIDS Conference, held between 3–8 August in Mexico, was attended by many high-profile participants representing the very broad sectors of society affected by the ubiquitous illness. The President of the IOE, Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu, was among these participants sharing employer experiences to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS ‘on’ and ‘in’ the workplace.
The conference takes place every two years bringing together scientists, policy makers, community leaders and private sector representatives to take stock of the illness around the world and examine new ways to respond to it.
In recognition of the IOE’s mobilization of the employer community to take a proactive response to the pandemic illness, Professor Nkuhlu, accompanied by a high-level delegation of IOE members from Pakistan, Kenya, Jamaica and Mexico, was invited to share experiences on the role of employers in helping reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS on businesses at the national level.
“The IOE is pleased to join the international community in reaffirming its commitment to provide universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support by the year 2010. Members of the IOE throughout the world have been actively developing and implementing holistic approaches to HIV/AIDS in the workplace and in surrounding communities for some years. These efforts have achieved tremendous results,” the IOE President said.
The IOE also voiced concerns over the economic and social impact AIDS was having on the most productive segments of the population – many countries reporting that the supply of labour was declining both in terms of productivity (among workers affected by HIV) and in ‘absolute terms’ as death rates continue to rise.
Concerns for the resources to implement HIV/AIDS programmes among vulnerable populations – which in some countries include significant numbers of migrant workers and refugees – were also expressed.
In addition, the growth in the number of people newly infected with HIV was pushing governments to divert public funds and resources to cover the corresponding rise in cost for treatment and care where, otherwise, such resources could have been used for capital investment to fuel economic growth at a time of economic downturn.
In the light of these facts, the IOE and its membership have renewed their commitment to help mitigate the impact of AIDS by continuing the implementation of workplace training and non-discriminatory programmes as well as redoubling their efforts to support HIV prevention and education strategies in the communities in which their businesses operate.