HIV Deals Rs. 22000 Cr Blow to our economy

[Guest guest]

Neha Kaushik: NEW DELHI (THE PIONEER 19/9/05)

THE INDIA Ecomony is being hard hit by HIV/AIDS and

the dreaded disease coul wipe away as much as Rs.

22,000 crore this year alone. By 2025, the disease

could cut annual economic growth in India by 40

percent.

The shocking figures were made public at a confrence

organised by the American Chamber of commerce in India

and the PHD chamber of commerce, India.

Representatives of leading corporate houses present on

the occasion shared their views and ways to overcome

the further spreading of the HIV.

According to views expressed by the corporate

big-wigs, the two broad areas where the Impact of AIDS

is most visible on our economy are productivity

(declining levels of profuctivity lead to declining

profits), and increased costs (the Impact is not only

on current margins but also on future profits).

The conference took serious note of a ADB-UNAIDS

report, which said that in India the economic loss

could be as much as Rs. 22,000 cr this year alone. It

alos discussed a separate report of the American

Enterprise Institute which said that " by 2025, the

disease could cut annual economic growth in India by

40 percent.

Fearing the rise in th number of AIDS affecting the

Indian economy in more ways than one, Ratan N Tata,

Chairman, Tata steel, said: " Unless we act now, India

could become one of the next epicentres of the deadly

disease. Businesses have to join this fight. " His

speech was read in his absence.

Social responsibility forms part of our core business

processes, because in business stakeholders include

not only employees but also our customers and the

community at large, he added.

Most of India's corporate sector shared the same view.

While claiming that the corporate sector can play a

significant role in prevention and control of AIDS,

SAIL chairman VS Jain said, " Corporates can play a

significant role by working in tandem with Government,

non-government and bilateral agencies. " " HIV/AIDS has

a devastating effect on the global work force, this

should be tackled by preventing it through proper

awareness programmes, said Godrej Industries

chairman, " Adi Godrej.

" We pledge to do our best to spread awareness about

HIV/AIDS, and commit ourselves to be partners in this

endeavour to dispel fears and misinformation about

AIDS " , said AM Naik, CEO, L & T.

A presentation made on behalf of Prime Minister Dr.

Manmohan Singh, who is also the chairman of the

National Council on HIV/AIDS, said, " In absence of a

preventive vaccine against HIV infection, the social

vaccine of 'Education and Awareness' is the only

effectivge method of prevention. We will have to put

an end to the three S's: Silence, stigma and shame,

associated with HIV/AIDS.. "

Providing a set of guidelines to address the HIV/AIDS

epidemic in the world of work and within the framework

of the recent promotion of decent work, International

Labour Office (ILO), Geneva recently released a code

of practive on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. The ILO

Code recognises AIDS as a workplace issue, and should

be treated like any other serious illness/condition in

workplace.