Jamaican govt sponsors workplace HIV initiatives
25/06/2008
The government of Jamaica is seeking to confront the stigma and discrimination faced by HIV patients through a series of workplace educational initiatives.
Outlining the contents of a green paper brought forward in the country's House of Representatives yesterday, Pearnel Charles, the minister of labour and social security, stressed that employers were duty-bound to raise awareness among their staff.
"Currently, there is a lot of discrimination against people with Aids and, in some cases, there is unnecessary fear among workers or fellow workers with Aids," the Jamaica Observer quoted him as saying.
"So, it will be a very educational process for both workers and employers."
He continued: "We will be setting up a Joint Select Committee of both Houses to study the Green Paper and to make additional submissions. The public can come before the committee and make presentations."
According to a new ministry paper, which was tabled alongside the green paper, any new approach by the government must hinge on promoting universal rights among all HIV/Aids sufferers.
It further said that reducing the spread of the virus would necessitate a dual focus on tackling stigma and discrimination while simultaneously broadening access to healthcare.
Such programmes would need to incorporate counselling and support services in addition to distributing lifesaving antiretroviral drugs, the report added.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 1.5 per cent of Jamaica's 2.7-million strong population is currently living with HIV/Aids.
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