Editorial: HIV awareness in the workplace
Published in The Hindu on August 9, 2007
While the role played by the government and non-governmental organisations in creating awareness among the public and bringing HIV/AIDS under control is well known, the corporate sector’s contribution in the battle has not been quite encouraging. Though hundreds of corporates have in place programmes to educate and disseminate information among employees and even take the initiative to reach out to people outside, the need for a “more active engagement” has been clearly brought out in a recent report by the Wold Bank and other organisations. While describing the commendable efforts taken by the five short listed companies, the report brings out the need for active participation by the companies for scaling up the HIV/AIDS intervention and treatment practices. The direct and indirect benefits that accrue to companies that take up prevention and treatment strategies are compelling enough for the issue to be taken more seriously. Though the Confederation of Indian Industry, the first nodal body that realised the importance of HIV intervention at the workplace and got its members to respond to the challenge in a positive manner, has been fairly effective, a great deal more remains to be done.
Even with medicines becoming freely available and AIDS becoming a chronic treatable condition, stigma and discrimination at the workplace and outside still prevent many from getting themselves tested and treated in time. Workplace intervention based on a top-down model has been tailored to address this critical issue. Companies are becoming more receptive to the idea of workplace intervention as they realise the huge economic burden they have to bear when their young and middle-aged workers get infected with HIV. It is worth keeping in mind that companies that take early decisive action to spread awareness and treat the infected stand to gain in the long term. Adopting the lessons learnt and taking them to the society as part of corporate social responsibility is what is really needed. The five companies studied by the World Bank have done this by using unique strategies. “…These case studies seek to convince other businesses that taking part in the fight against HIV and AIDS is both within their reach and in their interest,” the report notes. While the Union government and a few State governments and NGOs have been actively involved in the battle against HIV/AIDS, the country needs all the other stakeholders as well to get involved actively. Companies cannot shy away from this responsibility. That the prevalence rate in India is just half of what was originally estimated should not be a reason for complacency to set in. Instances of the infection striking back in countries when proven prevention strategies were not aggressively pursued should serve as a reminder.
