HIV response must be Multisectoral: Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss

[Guest guest]

HIV response must be Multisectoral: Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss

The Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss

who is currently on a 7-days official visit to Australia addressing

the 3rd Ministerial Conference on HIV/AIDS held at Sydney on 23rd

July 2007 said that in India we have made a beginning by setting up a

National Council on AIDS which is chaired by the Prime Minister

himself and in the recently launched third phase of National AIDS

Control Programmes our focus is on mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in

different ministries, expanding coverage of workplace programmes in

the organized and unorganized sectors, strengthening Public-Private

Partnerships and mobilizing resources from the corporate sector to

complement the national effort.

The following are the salient points from the Health Minister's

speech:

1. HIV/AIDS is a workplace issue because it affects workers in the

prime of their productive life. It impacts workers, their families as

well as enterprise performance. India has a huge workforce estimated

at 28 million working in the formal organized sector. Of this 28

million, 8 million are estimated to be in the private sector. Of the

one billion population, 402 million work, contributing to the

economy. In other words, this 40 percent of the population sustain

the remaining 60 percent of the population. Projections for India's

economic growth are based on the large workforce we have, compared to

other countries particularly Europe, etc. which have witnessed sharp

declines in birth rate. Economic benefits arising out of population

age profile is called `demographic dividend'. It is this factor that

also led to China's economic growth in the recent past.

2. It is estimated that India's growth will be generating almost 14

million jobs per year for the next 10-12 years. Most of the entrants

will be young people. While the organised sector is increasing there

is also a very rapid growth in the unorganised informal sector. The

increasing migration from rural to urban areas is enhancing their

vulnerability, particularly in niche industries such as IT sector,

BPO sub-sector where the working conditions, high mobility and other

such factors contribute to enhancing the risk of HIV infection.

Therefore this migration is generating a huge pool of transmitters of

the infection from the workplace to homes.

3. The impact of HIV where the epidemic is generalised is found to

have adverse economic consequences in terms of reducing labour

supply, consumer spending, investments and savings. Business also

face increased costs on medical treatment, loss of productive days,

etc.

4. Everyone is now realizing that the response to HIV/AIDS should not

be left to the health department alone. As HIV affects different

sectors, the response has to be multi-sectoral. And, it is here that

industry, both public and private, can play a key role. In a strong

market economy business also need to play a role to discharge their

own corporate social responsibilities. In India we have a mechanism

through our Confederation of Indian Industry, Association of Chambers

of Commerce and Federation of Commerce and Industry, etc. So far 1000

companies have implemented a workplace policy. Some of the top

companies in India we are involved with are Ambuja Cements, Apollo

Tyres, Usha , Ballarpur Paper Mills, Reliance, TCI, TCM,

Hindustan, Tatas, etc.

5. HIV/AIDS is a chronic manageable disease but has no cure. Due to

the stigma and discrimination surrounding this disease, evidence

shows that people get to know their HIV status quite late. With

Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) treatment, it is found that persons have

been able to get back to work within 2-3 months. However, even with

high adherence rates, drug resistance does develop. Therefore, ART

drugs can at best extend longevity of life by 10-15 years at most.

Given the fact that 37 percent of those infected are in the age group

of 15-29 years, HIV does contribute to high levels of morbidity and

also premature mortality. It is for this reason that in African

countries where HIV/AIDS is very widespread, longevity of life has

come down by more than 50 percent. In such countries life expectancy

is not more than 32 years.

6. With 86 percent of the infection being spread through sex, it is

the sexually active age groups that are most vulnerable to this

infection. Surveys have shown that young men who migrate from their

homes in search of work, have money but living alone tend to visit

sex workers and indulge in risky behaviours. For this reason HIV

infection is becoming more visible in the rural areas. 59 percent of

the infection is in rural areas and 40 percent among women.

7. For HIV/AIDS Policy and Programmes in the world of work, we have

endorsed the ILO Code of Practice. The ILO Code has ten key

principles and provides guidelines to governments, employers and

unions to respond to HIV/AIDS. Several companies have developed their

policy following these guidelines. We have got seven key national

level employers organizations/chambers to sign a joint statement of

Commitment on AIDS that offers a policy framework as well as

practical guidelines to their member companies for responding to

HIV/AIDS. We have also finalized a Joint Statement of Commitment,

signed by the five Central Trade unions on HIV/AIDS, which is to be

launched soon. The Ministry of Labour and Employment is also working

on a National Policy on HIV/AIDS and the World of work, which will be

finalized soon.

8. The efforts to involve business started in 2004. During the

current year in 2007 we propose to come up with the National

Workplace Policy in coordination with the private sector as well as

the Ministry of Labour which is currently working on a National

Policy for the World of Work. Under the National Workplace Policy we

hope to enthuse industries employing a large workforce to implement

the policy of partnership with the people living with HIV/AIDS.

9. To encourage mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS policy within the private

sector, three initiatives have been taken: -

(a) Establishment of GIVE Foundation with the assistance from USAID.

The GIVE Foundation has been established by USAID for mobilizing

private donation from business to provide funding to the NGOs working

on HIV/AIDS. The fund is managed by ICICI. So far an amount of US$

1.3 million have been received by way of contribution.

( Under Round-IV of the Global Fund the Confederation of Indian

Industry is establishing 10 ART Centres on a public-private

partnership mode. Of these two have already been established by ACC

Cement in Wadi district of Karnataka and by the Ballarpur Paper Mills

at Ballarpur, Maharashtra. Under this, NACO provides drugs free while

the industry provides the entire infrastructure including building,

equipment, doctors, nurses, counsellors, etc.

© The Population Foundation of India is a Trust established by

TATAs and other business leaders essentially to work on the

population issues in the country. This Trust is one of our principal

partners in implementation of the National AIDS Control Programme

activities. They have received Rs. About UD 44 million for

implementing programme related to care, support and treatment.

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