DOH SUPPORTS WORKPLACE FOR ADOPTING ‘AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE’ PROGRAM

From: DOH WebPage

The Department of Health (DOH) today revealed that the Philippines witnessed a sharp increase in the number of diagnosed HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) cases in the last three years. Majority of these recorded cases belong to the economically-productive age group.

“In 2000, an average of one new case is diagnosed every three days. In 2007, it rose to one new case per day. Last year, there were two new cases diagnosed in a day,” Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said.

Due to the rising trend and because most infections can be found among economically-productive individuals, Cabral explained that the business sector is in a position to help curb the rising trend in HIV infections by setting up policies and programs in the workplace. This program is also in consonance to provisions in Republic Act 8504 or the AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998.

The health chief added that HIV/AIDS programs in the workplace is a vital response because the disease increases business costs like increased burden of healthcare provision, lower productivity of infected employees, loss of skilled workers, increased risks in the workplace and indifference among employees.

The midterm assessment of the Philippine AIDS Medium Term Plan IV recommended the strengthening of partnership with the private sector. However, the Philippine Business for Social Progress noted in 2008 that private sector involvement and response to HIV/AIDS in the workplace has yet to be strengthened.

Few companies led by Chairperson of Shell companies in the Philippines Ed Chua has taken the role of being the ‘Business Champion for Health of the Philippines to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.’ As a result, several companies had signified their interest to establish ‘AIDS in the Workplace’ program.

Organizations that support the ‘AIDS in the Workplace’ program include Philippine Business for Social Progress, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, International Labour Organization, UNAIDS, and the Philippine National AIDS Council. A partnership agreement is envisioned to be drawn to describe the roles and responsibilities of each organization for this initiative.

“The rising number of HIV cases in the workforce makes it imperative for business to take drastic action to prevent new infections in the labor sector,“ Cabral stressed, adding that the tripartite workplace sector (including government-management-labor sectors) should highlight interventions targeted to address risky behaviors, because this sector also includes a vast number of customers and clients, which may include the most-at-risk populations.

Meanwhile, a one day National HIV/AIDS Summit will be held on 12 April 2010 at the Manila Diamond Hotel to inform national leaders on the current state of HIV/AIDS in the country and the need for urgent action towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal 6, particularly HIV. The workplace sector is one of the sectors to attend this event.