Aid in Action
Jamaica Business Community Unite to Fight HIV/AIDS
Employers helping to reduce stigma & discrimination in the workplace
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Thursday, August 30, 2007
USAID Jamaica
Business council members pledge to influence government policies and affect changes in workplace policies to support workers with HIV/AIDS in Jamaica.
The fight against HIV/AIDS in Jamaica received a much needed boost when some of the most influential people on the island came together to fight the pandemic that is threatening the very fabric of the society.
On an island where stigma and discrimination is one of the leading causes in the increase of HIV/AIDS infections, and where the most productive members of society -- 20-49 year olds -- account for 60% of cases, attacking the disease from every front is critical to success.
Jamaica’s fight against HIV/AIDS gained momentum when the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Jamaica private sector, and the US company, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), joined forces to combat HIV/AIDS at the corporate level.
A special survey funded by USAID and MSD revealed that the actual number of people with HIV in the workplace is likely to be four to eight times larger than official records. Most HIVpositive employees are either unaware of their status, or conceal it from their employers for fear of reprisal and even termination of their jobs. Survey results make it clear that companies need to invest in HIV-specific policies and education programs, or they could face exorbitant cost increases from absenteeism and loss of experienced labor.
Armed with this information, the Jamaica Employers’ Federation led top private sector leaders to launch the Jamaica Business Council on HIV/AIDS (JaBCHA). One of the priorities for the JaBCHA is reducing stigma and discrimination in the workplace and society as a whole.
With its powerful voice, the business council is now focusing on improving HIV-specific policies in the workplace, promoting education programs, encouraging and facilitating more testing, and addressing myths and stigma associated with the disease.
The JaBCHA is intent on giving those living with HIV/AIDS an opportunity to continue contributing to the business sector and to Jamaica’s development.