THE Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security says that addressing the negative impact of HIV and AIDS in the workforce will continue to be among its main focus.

OSH director Robert Chung, in an interview with JIS News, said the stigma and discrimination associated with the virus has, over the years, “caused devastation and workplaces to become dysfunctional”, so addressing the issue would be vital to the advancement of the country.

“HIV and AIDS is a psychosocial hazard and it is important that we correct the issue so that the workplace and workforce are conducive not only to productivity but to development,” he said

“At present, we are working on several projects in the ministry; we have our own internal programme that we hope to roll out in all public sector workplaces, but we also have programmes that we are implementing in the private sector,” he said.

The initiatives, Chung said, will “ensure that stigma and discrimination, which not only comes from HIV and AIDS but from other illnesses, (is adequately addressed)”.

One such programme is the Voluntary Compliance Programme in which stakeholders and organisa-tions are introduced to OSH best practices.

The OSH director noted that, by discriminating against workers with HIV and AIDS and other illnesses, the human resource capacity in workplaces is being depleted because “some of the best minds in our country” are not being utilised.

In the meantime, acting senior legal officer at the ministry, Khadrea Folkes, said the National Workplace Policy on HIV and AIDS, which received parliamentary approval in 2010 will be appended to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).

She said that “in addition to HIV and AIDS being an aspect of the substantive legislation, we are also going to be amending legislation that specifically speaks to the treatment of HIV and AIDS in the workplace”.

The foundation of the National Workplace Policy on HIV and AIDS is based on 10 key principles identified by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), some of which include: non-discrimination, gender equality, confidentiality, continuation of employment and care and support.

Folkes also said that the ministry has received reports of employers and human resource managers who have dismissed or refused to promote workers after receiving medical reports of HIV and AIDS diagnosis.

“A worker should not be separated from his employment on the basis of his HIV status. You can be HIV-positive and still carry out your duties,” she stated.