A widely accepted tenet of the development is that, in the process of structural economic transformation that accompanies economic development, the farm sector as a share of the country’s GDP will decline as a country’s GDP grows (Kuznets, 1957; Chenery and Syrquin, 1975). However, in rural areas, the outcome of economic growth on the agricultural and rural nonfarm (RNF) sector cannot be determined a priority. It is therefore useful, when thinking about rural development, to think of the full range of rural income generating activities (Micro enterprise), both agricultural and non agricultural, carried out by rural households. This can allow an understanding of the relationship between the various economic activities that take place in the rural space and of their implications for economic growth and poverty reduction.

In March 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened a consultative meeting to explore micro-enterprise as a potential human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention intervention. The impulse to link micro-enterprise with HIV/AIDS prevention was driven by the fact that poverty is a significant factor contributing to the risk of infection. Because increasingly high rates of HIV infection are occurring among women, particularly among poor African women in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the international arena, income generated by micro-enterprise has contributed to improving family and community health outcomes.

In Ghana, health may be considered a multisectoral issue, involving access to care and services, transportation, health insurance of some type, education, individual and family well-being, housing, and community-level issues such as neighborhood safety. Concomitantly, many health problems are exacerbated by the poverty that impacts family and community well-being.

While poverty is associated with increased risk for multiple adverse health outcomes, it is typically not directly addressed in public health interventions. Similarly, whereas micro-enterprise is a fairly widespread approach to poverty alleviation, it is not generally considered a public health intervention. Broadly speaking, income generating activities or microenterprise is the practice of making small loans and providing financial literacy to the poor—predominantly to women—to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency. The micro-enterprise goal of relieving poverty can be seen as a corollary to a comprehensive approach to public health.

A typically example with rural/urban slum dwellers are such that certain fueling factors of poverty increases HIV/AIDS infections and some of these factors include, rural migration, chronic poverty, residential segregation and sex roles. These factors may combine to compel some women and vulnerable youth into the informal economy including trading sex for commodities and for survival needs such as housing and food and greatly influences relationships with children and their partners. Dense sexual networks often characterized by concurrent partnership are supported by socio-economic factors such as economic oppression.

Chronic poverty is another major factor to HIV/AIDS infection. For instance, in a very remote area where access to good health care becomes a problem, people resort to self medication and local traditional healers who sometime or the other uses herbs and other sharps on more than two patients in their quest to healing them. This is as a result of cheap access to medication instead of taking the patient to the hospital for proper treatment where safety precautions are ensured to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission. Again, because people do not have the means to for regular check up, there are many unknown HIV cases until conditions of such persons become worse and most people die from strange diseases(opportunistic infections) and are considered penalties from the gods as a result of some wrong doings or taboos.

Finally, rural migration like other factors increases HIV/AIDS infections. Banished from one community to the other due to misconduct means life has to start all over again. In such instances, one getting a place for shelters and food to eat becomes a problem. Some of victims after trying all means of survival without any progress tend to increase the number of sexual partners and in some cases, trade sex for money for their survival. Without education on proper sex model, unprotected sex becomes the order of the day, hence increase HIV infection.

Addressing the structural factors of HIV prevention intervention in Ghana is the use of Income generating activities or Microenterprise, which directly addresses individual and family poverty for HIV/AIDS prevention. Various models of microenterprise exist in the field; however, we refer to microenterprise as encompassing a broad range of activities, including basic life-skills training, development of commercially viable products and services, access to markets, financial training, and financial support or microfinance of some type (e.g., credit, emergency loans, tax assistance). A variety of microfinance activities based on a number of models have been shown recently to increase women’s economic well-being, enhance contraceptive use, strengthen women’s position in families, and improve the lives of youth in ways that are important to reducing susceptibility to HIV.

Within this context on microenterprise, there is a small but growing body of work on microenterprise and HIV/AIDS. For example, Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity (IMAGE), addresses gender and risk issues within an established Non Governmental Organization’s group-lending microfinance programs. While a number of challenges and issues emerged from this program (for example, how to establish effective partnerships between HIV and microfinance organizations), it clearly demonstrates a significant and positive relationship between an integrated package of HIV training and microcredit and HIV risk reduction. An HIV perspective within microfinance organizations has the potential to address population-level vulnerability to HIV infection, particularly poverty and gender-based inequalities by enhancing capacity especially among the youth (both males and females) to avoid situations and behaviors that heightens the epidemic .A recent submission by Care International Ghana indicates that among women who participate in a micro -lending program, control of “own money” which significantly and positively relate to improved negotiation of safer sex, which points to a component of women’s economic empowerment that may be critical for micro-enterprise based HIV prevention efforts.

It is however evident that micro-enterprise interventions can reduce sexual risk behavior in some rural areas in the country and also serves as intervention of drug-using and sex-trading women from all the regions in Ghana , where they are taught HIV prevention risk reduction combined with the making, marketing, and selling of jewelry in six two-hour sessions. It has been observed that women receiving this intervention reduced their number of sexual contacts and increased their condom use with sex trade partners. Notably, reductions in the number of sex trade partners were significantly predicted by the amount of money made from the jewelry sales.

Income Generating Activities have also helped improved health and social systems to enable Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVs) to live with dignity and with prolonged family relations .i.e., in normal sense, the population of PLHIVs and orphans are increased as the epidemic starts to mature and morbidity rates are on the rise. Losing one member of the family causes economic depravity aggravated by the social isolations and stigma associated to HIV. People have low disposable incomes and are unable to access ARV even if it is provided free of charge and there is therefore a tender to give priority to provision of food and other basic house hold needs before investing in transport for accessing drugs.

In conclusion, it is obvious that poverty limits access to food, health care which leads to all forms societal mishaps and fueling HIV prevalence. However, access to free supply of ARVs requires a fuller comprehension of microeconomics because other opportunity cost like food, ill health, transport, housing, school fees and etc, compete for equal investments in which income generating activities are the only weapons to tackle these situations for people to live very well and to achieve their dreams in life.

By. George B. Adu – Takyi

As a further step to seal the deal a powerful recommendation was given by the DHMT recommending KEBA Africa to be dully founded by the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) to begin work in the district. Thus, KEBA Africa is the first NGO to be formally engaged in Health related issues in Sefwi Akontombra District Assembly (SADA).

The following are some of the objectives of the intended TB project aimed to be embarked on by KEBA Africa:

OBJECTIVES

• To improve knowledge about TB in 10 communities in Akontombra District and to discourage attitudes and perceptions that hinders affected individuals from seeking treatment (destigmatize the disease)

• To support affected individuals and their contacts in 10 communities in Akontombra District to receive TB treatment.

• Support treatment and adherence monitoring of home based treatment phase of DOTS in 10 communities in Akontombra District.

 EXPECTED OUTCOMES

• Heightened awareness about TB in the 10 project communities
• Reduced stigmatization of affected individuals in the 10 project communities
• Increase in the number of people seeking treatment in the 10 project communities
• Improved community support for affected individuals (improved nutrition during illness, employment after completing treatment , reintegration into the society- no ostracization ensuring that they take their medications regularly)

 ACTIVITIES

Organize one focus group discussion with chiefs and opinion leaders in each of the 10 communities (Akwantonbra, Yamfo, Nsawora, Kojokrom, Bawakrom, Edewakrom, Aprutu, Kramokrom, and Kofikrom all within Sefwi Akontombra District of the Western Region.

• To talk about TB and to engage them in mobilizing community members.

• Organize 1 interactive sessions monthly with target population i.e. women, youth groups, in the 10 project communities to talk about stop TB project.

• Organize fortnightly TB awareness campaigns in the 10 project communities using an information van with pre-recorded TB prevention messages, and distribute TB I.E.C/BCC materials

• Organize 1 community event on TB in each of the 10 project communities respectively

• Train 10 community peer educators from each of the 10 project communities to help in community sensitization campaigns.

• Organize monthly interactive sessions in the 10 project communities for community volunteers, beneficiaries and stakeholders to advocate the need for DOTS

• Organize door to door campaigns to promote the stop TB now message

• Organize home visits by community volunteers to monitor affected individuals and to constantly re-enforce information on TB

The efforts of the national malaria control programme has thus yielded very little results in this district. This is because knowledge of malaria prevention is low and environmental management continues to be a major challenge. Communities are poorly laid out, whilst good sanitation and proper refuse disposal remains a mirage. The culmulative effect of this is that mosquitoes have breeding grounds available to them all year round. Again use of long-term insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITNs), which happens to be the most cost-effective approach is unacceptablly low even among those at most risk (pregnant women and children under 5) of severe complications of the disease. Thus until such a time that research into malaria prevention can yield a vaccine or some treatment modality which will protect for life, malaria prevention rather than treatment will remain the strongest pillar in the fight against malaria.

This Keba Africa project therefore aims to tackle malaria control in eight (8) densely populated communities in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district by educating the people on malaria prevention and treatment, generating renewed and sustainable efforts at managing the environment and promoting consistent and correct use of ITNs whilst at the same time encouraging those already infected to seek comprehensive treatment at accredited health facilities.

The project will target women (especially pregnant women), children, youth groups in Ayalolo, Ngleshie, Kinkin, Agbogbloshie, Kokomba, Sodom and Gomorah, Jamestown and Paladium all located in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district of the Greater Accra region. Since these communities have a broad-based population structure with women, children and youth accounting for over 60% of the population, any intervention targeting these groups will have great impact. Again the densely population make up of the district, with its attendant problems of poor housing facilities and poor environmental sanitation encourages mosquito breeding such that inhabitants are exposed to mosquito bites all year round. Thirdly the need for accomodation is so much that some inhabitants spend the night outdoors which puts them at risk of mosquito bites and consequently malaria infection. Lastly poverty levels are such that most households will not be able to afford effective and sustained indoor spraying, meaning that a significant percentage of the population is at risk of getting infected.

During implementation of the project, pregnant women and children will be singled out for special attention because the burden of malaria is severest in this group and the outcomes of severe infection is often fatal and devastating. Most of these communities live along the Korle Lagoon and are petty traders or fisher folks. There are lots of people living on the streets and make shift structures with poor ventilation and netting compeling most to leave their doors open at night for air and to reduce the humidity in their rooms. Sanitation in this district is very bad. Additional the Ashiedu Keteke district is a low income high density populated area with high poverty levels, low education and a high fertility rate. By working in partnership with these communities and local non-governmental organisations in the district, KEBA AFRICA hopes to support the development of appropriate and effective behaviours that lead to better prevention and management of malaria, particularly for young children and pregnant women. Ultimately, it is hoped that the success of this project will attract support for their expansion and replication in other affected communities.

 PROJECT OBJECTIVES

1. To improve knowledge of malaria prevention behaviours among the the general population in 8 communities within the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district

2. To encourage sound environmental management principles among the general population in 8 communities in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district

3. To encourage and assist pregnant women in 8 communities within the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district to attend antenatal clinics in order to receive intermittent preventive treatment (IPT).

4. To promote the use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) among pregnant women and children under 5 years in 8 communities in the Ashiede Keteke sub metro district

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES

1. Organise one focus group discussion with chiefs and opinion leaders in each of the 8 communities in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district to talk about malaria prevention and treatment and to engage them in mobilizing the community members.

2. Organise 4 interactive sessions monthly with target population i.e. women, and youth groups in the 8 project communities to talk about malaria transmission and prevention.

3. Organise weekly malaria awareness campaigns in the 8 project communities using an information van with pre-recorded malaria prevention messages, and distribution of malaria I.E.C/BCC materials.

4. Organise two community events (musical concerts) on WHO and Africa malaria day respectively.

5. Train 20 community peer educators from each of the 8 communities in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district to help in community sensitization campaigns.

6. Form 8 community youth clubs to help keep the environment and surroundings free of mosquito-breeding places and support clean up campaigns every last Saturday of the month in all 8 project communities.

7. Organise one malaria quiz competition for all basic schools in the 8 project communities.

8. Organise monthly interactive sessions in the 8 project communities for pregnant women to advocate the need for IPT during pregnancy.

9. Organise free distribution of samples and practical sessions on ITN use especially for pregnant women and children under 5 years to encourage a positive net (ITN) culture.

10. Organise door-to-door hang-up campaigns to promote the use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) in all 8 communities in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district.

 EXPECTED RESULTS

1. Increased partnership between KEBA AFRICA, chiefs and opinion leaders in the promotion and treatment of malaria in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district

2. Increased knowledge about malaria control and prevention in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district

3. Increased and sustained awareness about the need to fight malaria on a daily basis in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district

4. 160 community volunteers trained in community sensitization on malaria prevention

5. Improved sanitation in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district

6. Increased access to IPT for pregnant women, resulting in the delivery of more healthier babies in the Ashiedu Keteke sub metro district

7. Increased number of people seeking and receiving treatment at Health Facilities in the Ashiedu keteke sub metro district

8. Increased utilization of ITNs in the prevention of malaria

In the early years of the HIV epidemic in Ghana, education on the disease was very scanty and most faith based organizations (FBOs) did not see it as they see other chronic disease, rather they saw it as a punishment from God on humanity for sins committed. There were all forms of scriptures to buttress this claims and the need to avoid the infected in the society. Though, the House of God was considered a place for the desolate in the society, emaciated looking persons suspected to be infected by HIV/AIDS were not allowed into some temples since their presence was believed to fuel infections to the general congregation and hence stigmatization of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) was very high. Again, in some organizations, clients were given special seats separate from the entire congregation and were used as live testimonies to admonish the whole congregation to desist from immoral or sexual acts that could bring curses on them. That was the extent to which HIV infected persons suffered.

A critical study among churches indicated that stigmatizing HIV infected persons in churches were as a result of ignorance or lack of understanding about the emergence and the nature of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Ignorance about HIV/AIDS in Ghana skewed the disease to immorality, infidelity and promiscuity. Since the disease was very high among harlots in the Ghanaian settings, any victim outside this category was considered amorous in the society. Ghanaians are culturally sensitive and issues of sexuality hardly come to the fore. So, any form of immorality by the individual was then ostracized from the family for bringing a stain on the hard earned reputation of the clan itself which called for banishment from the society spearheaded by leaders of the church. Least did the church know that certain cultural practices of the society in those days facilitated the spread of the disease. For example, female genital mutilation and polygamy and men keeping concubines which were not frowned upon by the society in those days were part of the fuelling factors to the spread of HIV.

However at the turn of the 21^st century, faith based organization’s perception to the disease has taken a different phase. FBOs are joining many other actors in the global fight against this devastating pandemic and have offered specific resources and strengths resulting in positive synergies. For example, religious organizations like the Ghana Christian Council are working hand in hand with the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), to championed peer education, counselling and home care programmes and stigma reduction.

Prevention efforts by the church and Islam have resulted in changed sexual behaviour including delayed sexual activity among adolescents, and a reduction in the number of sexual partners. These modifications of behaviour have been part of the messages of many FBOs. In Ghana, Islamic, Buddhist and Christian groups have collaborated to fight stigma having introduced Home Based care services.

Right from the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis, local communities have been at the very forefront of caring for those affected by HIV/AIDS and it is not surprising to know that FBOs are rooted in local structures and are therefore in an excellent position to mobilize communities to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis. In many cases, religious organizations and people of faith have been among the first to respond to the basic needs of people affected by the disease and disasters and indeed have pioneered much of  community-based works,  yet these FBOs are often overlooked. More often than not, the capacity of FBOs has not been maximized because they have not received adequate levels of training or resources to address the impact of the disease.

Having been made aware of HIV/AIDS as a chronic disease, Churches have now come to terms with the disease and have uprooted all notions that the disease can be transmitted through spiritual means. In order words, they now educate people to seek treatment from Health Centers instead of taking patients to Prayer Camps for healing which in one way or the other worsen the already existing conditions of the infected person. Churches have now learnt that prevention is possible provided there is openness and dialogue. Many HIV prevention strategies, such as promoting temporary abstinence, delayed sexual activity in young people, voluntary testing and counseling, mutual faithfulness in sexual relationships, and the use of condoms have contributed to the reduction of the risk of HIV transmission.

Faith Based Organizations through support from relevant government agencies can make more impact in decreasing HIV by incorporating the following methodologies in their prevention and care activities:

First of all, Faith Based Organizations, being the pivot between humanity and God should use outreach programmes to carry out HIV/AIDS messages across. This is because they are present in communities all over the country. With deep historical roots and closely linked to the cultural and social environment of the people is an effective way or channels by which communication can be utilized.  In typical rural settings, whatever men of God say or whatever word emerges from the pulpit are considered sacred “Thou sayeth God”. By this, the essentials of the HIV/AIDS disease can be spread to a wider spectrum of the society.

Again, FBOs should seek to serve the needs of people affected by HIV/AIDS. They should develop pioneering innovative approaches such as Home Based HIV Counseling and Testing (HBHCT), Home-Based care, both for People Living with HIV/AIDS and for affected children. In certain regions like Central, Ashanti, Greater Accra and the Northern regions have seen the sprouting of these organizations providing a significant proportion of health and education services on care and treatment by some organizations like the Methodist church, Presbyterian Church and some Charismatic churches.

Furthermore, FBOs are in a unique position to address the spiritual needs of people affected by the disease. They should provide a holistic ministry for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, addressing the physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being of the individual and the community. It must also be noted that HIV/AIDS is not a disease for some specific persons but like other chronic diseases which one can be contracted. In this sense, Biblical emphasis must be laid as enshrined in Jeremiah 8:22 which states, “Is there no Balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughters of my people recovered? This scripture presupposes the need for the individual to embark on regular check up or diagnosis to enable them live long. Spiritual leaders have to impart to the society the need to undergo regular checkup to ensure a healthy lifestyles or better still, they could bring counseling and testing services to the threshold of their congregation. This would raise the consciousness of leaders and members at all levels and enabled them know their HIV/AIDS status.

Finally, FBOs should put in place programmes that would eliminate traditional and cultural inequalities that exacerbate the vulnerability of women and children. This can be achieved by using resources to ensure that all People Living with or affected by HIV/AIDS receive the highest possible level of care, respect, love and solidarity.

If Preachers and Religious leaders in Ghana find a space in their sermon each Sunday and Friday, to raise the consciousness of their congregation at all levels on HIV/AIDS prevention and care and advocate fair and equal access to care and treatment according to needs and not depend solely on affluence, or strictly Born Again preaching Ghana would be able to scale down the spread of the disease by a greater margin.

Adu-Takyi George Ben
Programs officer

This years World AIDS Day commemoration fell on Thursday, December 1^st 2011. The global theme chosen to mark this year’s World AIDS Day was “Getting to Zero – Zero New infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths” which is carved out of the UNAIDS mandated theme of “Universal Access and Human rights”. The sub theme chosen for Ghana was “The role of the youth”. Ghana’s focus on the youth was aligned to the priorities in the National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS 2011- 2015; most at risk populations (MARPS), individuals with multiple sexual partners and youth between the ages of 15 to 24.

Like other challenges in the contemporary business world HIV/AIDS is a factor that companies must now reckon with in their planning operations thus, CFAO sought to use the World AIDS Day to create HIV/AIDS awareness so as to reduce the number of staff who engage in risky sexual behavior, encourage healthy lifestyles through IEC/BCC materials distribution, and increase uptake of counseling and testing among staff in Greater Accra, Western and Ashanti regions of Ghana. Activities organized on that day were, HIV counseling and testing, wearing of red ribbons, condom distribution, and access to HIV/AIDS flyers and booklets. Before the beginning of the programme, a participatory forum on the topic “HIV prevention, care and support at the workplace: Successes, challenges and the way forward” was held.

At the end of the World AIDS day’s activities, 300 red ribbons were distributed, 3000 male condoms were given out for educational and personal use, 200 HIV branded wrist bands were handed out and 1507 IEC booklets and leaflets were handed out to staff and clients. It is hoped that these IEC/BCC booklets and leaflets would inform and educate staff about the disease and also protect them and their dependants against HIV infection. The overall goal of the CFAO HIV/AIDS workplace programme nevertheless is to reduce the prevalence and impact of HIV in the workforce and the wider community. To achieve this counseling and testing identified as key to behaviour change and prevention is an integral part of the CFAO strategy. The results from the counseling and testing exercise undertaken was also very encouraging as 50 people were tested at the Takoradi office, 15 people were tested at the Kumasi office, 38 people were tested at the Airport office, and 46 people were tested at the PPGL office and technologies office at circle industrial area. These are people who received their results after undergoing HIV pre and post test counseling. There were no positive cases at all sites. Different models of counseling and testing are available in Ghana i.e. outreach, integrated and stand alone testing and counseling however KEBA Africa employed the mobile or outreach CT because it is non-stigmatizing. Most of the clients tested were either single or married hence in future couple testing would be considered as a holistic approach to HIV prevention at CFAO.

On the whole, staff members showed great interest in the exercise although we must and keep the drive to change people’s attitudes about the epidemic and the stigma attached to HIV. Others just had irrational fear of HIV as a death sentence and did not want to find out their status. There is still work to be done to dispel the ignorance that drives HIV related stigma and educate people about HIV and the need to preserve the rights and dignity of people living with HIV.

Like other challenges in the modern business world, the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS is having an increasingly adverse impact on the operations of many companies and employee households.  This has resulted in increase production cost, reduced profit and greater difficulty delivering products and services.

This is due  to the fact that for very workplace, the most priced resource id its human resource, thus when employees get infected  with HIV in the organization, a lot of productive man hours is lost as a result of employees getting sick leave.

Additionally HIV and AIDS can also have negative psychosocial efforts on employees who are infected or affected by HIV through stigmatization at the workplace. Thus, companies not only have a responsibility to act, but an opportunity to play a crucial role in the fight against the pandemic within the workplace.

Experience from ILO’s global workplace offers a unique entry point for providing access to HIV/STI education and service since workers  can be reached on a regular basis with tailored HIV/STI messages and behaviour change communication(BCC) programmes to address discrimination  and support behaviour change. Implementing workplace HIV programmes is also a reliable source of accurate information for employees.

In Ghana, institutions such as the ministries of education, finance and economic planning, CFAO Ghana LTTD, Shell Ghana, Cadbury Ghana among others have HIV/AIDS workplace policies and provide evidence –based data about what works and what does not work in  responding  to the pandemic at the workplace . Key elements of workplace HIV/AIDS programmes that has helped control the spread of the disease has  been conspicuous leadership which entails willingness by senior managers and board of directors to speak out on HIV/AIDS prevention and care regularly and frankly at the workplace. Support for responsible sexual behaviour among employees. Support for appropriate policies to address HIV/AIDS related situations that may arise at the workplace. Moral financial and resource support by the company for prevention and care programmes both within the workplace and surrounding communities and finally a commitment to sustain programmes overtime.

However there has been a general low uptake of workplace HIV/AIDS programmes among companies and institutions in the country. The low uptake is attributed to challenges in availability of funds in the era of global recession. Others also play the ostrich and ignore the disease with the hope that it will not affect their company, that HIV/AIDS affects only certain class or group of people, that infection is due to sinful or immoral behaviour and believe that because sexual relations do not occur in the workplace and the company is “protected” and that a vaccine will soon be found are clearly, options that do not work and may end up costing the company even more.

The way forward is to have a detailed workplace policy that entails

• Clear , non-technical information about HIV/AIDS for all employees, provided regularly and in a variety of formats
• Peer education and peer support ; using trained workers to inform one another about all aspects of HIV/AIDS
• Making condoms available in the workplace and encouraging availability in shops outside the workplace
• Diagnosing and treating STIs at workplace clinics, or encouraging workers to use effective services in the community
• Creating and sustaining an environment for changes in sexual behaviour-especially focused on youth and men with regular incomes, discouraging them from coercing  women or exploiting their poverty
• Voluntary and confidential HIV testing and pre and post –test counseling

Many companies hesitate to undertake an HIV/AIDS program because they believe they do not have the needed funds and expertise. Fortunately, numerous organizations now have the skills and experience in one or more components of workplace programs. Many of these organizations are willing to partner with companies to design a workplace program, train and support staff, provide medical commodities and access program effectiveness. Company managers can contact such groups and negotiate an acceptable agreement for delivery services. Examples of groups that can assist companies are NGOs: These groups often have the most cost effective strategies and direct experience in designing and implementing HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs. Thus we, have a solid basis on which to build new workplace HIV/AIDS programs or to expand existing ones.

The script was written by: Alfred Tsiboe-Darko of KEBA Africa

1^st December every year is observed as World AIDS Day. The theme for this year is “Getting to Zero-Zero infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths. Like other challenges in the contemporary business world HIV/AIDS is a factor that companies must now reckon with in their planning operations.

The rapid spread of HIV/AIDS is having an increasingly adverse impact on the operations of many companies and employee households.

Whether a company operates in a low-prevalence country or a High-prevalence country, HIV/AIDS is now a factor that affects all managers, workers’ representatives and employees. HIV/AIDS also affects human resources management, employee welfare, operation efficiency and customer relations.

Many companies recognize the HIV/AIDS epidemic as a serious threat to productivity and profitability. Workplace HIV/AIDS provides practical steps for prevention and care programs that serve both employee and managers. Companies Human Resources Managers, Medical Officers and Union Representatives are the key personnel to developing and implementing workplace prevention and care programs.

Implementing workplace HIV/AIDS program has been proven to be the only source of accurate information employees have about HIV/AIDS.

Companies not only have a responsibility to act, but an opportunity to play a crucial role in global fight against the epidemic, particularly within their own workplaces. Companies who forge partnership tackle HIV/AIDS menace faster and more effectively than anyone else and it is in their own interest as well as those of the society as a whole.

Company leadership engaging in HIV/AIDS sensitization, providing counseling and testing, condom distribution access to care and treatment sends a strong message to governments and other sectors. In addition, companies have an unparalleled opportunity to tackle head on the stigma and discrimination that enabled the virus to spread, often unchecked, over the last twenty five years.

HIV /AIDS education programs inform employees at the workplace and seek to motivate behaviour change that will reduce the spread of the epidemic. Organizations formal and informal HIV/AIDS education activities are the base upon which other aspects of prevention programs are built.  Best practices abound in institutions such as the Ministries of Education, Finance and Economic Planning; Shell Ghana Limited and CFAO, among others with excellent HIV/AIDS workplace policy which provides unequivocal evidence.

Key elements of workplace HIV/AIDS programmes that has helped control the spread of the disease among these companies has  been conspicuous leadership which entails willingness by senior managers and board of directors to speak out on HIV/AIDS prevention and care regularly and frankly at  the workplace. Support for responsible sexual behaviour among employees. Support for appropriate policies to address HIV/AIDS related situations that may arise at the workplace. Moral, financial and resource support by the companies for prevention and care programmes both within the workplace and surrounding communities and finally a commitment to sustain programmes overtime.

Companies assuming that prevention programs are too expensive and a drain on company’s finances, that a vaccine will soon be found, that HIV/AIDS affects only a certain class or group of people, that it is someone else’s problem, that infections is due to sinful or immoral behaviour, ignoring the disease and hoping it will simply go away, believing that because sexual relations do not occur in the workplace and the company is “protected”, are but grave assumptions at the peril of the company.

Many companies hesitate to undertake an HIV/AIDS program because they believe they do not have the needed funds and expertise. Fortunately, numerous organizations now have the skills and experience in one or more components of workplace programs. Many of these organizations are willing to partner with companies to design a workplace program, train and support staff, provide medical commodities and access program effectiveness. Company managers can contact such groups and negotiate an acceptable agreement for delivery services. Examples of groups that can assist companies are NGOs: These groups often have the most cost effective strategies and direct experience in designing and implementing HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs. Thus we, have a solid basis on which to build new workplace HIV/AIDS programs or to expand existing ones.

ITASO stands for The AIDS Support Organization. It is an indigenous HIV/AIDS service organization in Uganda founded in 1987 by Noerine Kaleeba and 15 other colleagues some of whom have now passed away due to AIDS. The founding of TASO was based on people that were unified by common experiences faced when encountering HIV/AIDS at a time of high stigma, ignorance and discrimination. From a small support group, TASO has since evolved into a Non Governmental Organization with eleven (11) service centers and four (4) regional offices covering most parts of Uganda.

KEBA Africa believes that companies should use the World AIDS Day to create HIV/AIDS awareness among staff in the formal sector and to secure their future by promoting free confidential counseling and testing on Thursday, the 1^st of December 2011 which is World AIDS Day. In doing so companies would automatically adopt the Getting to Zero theme which is achievable so long as we all act positively and decisively.

Companies not only have a responsibility to act but an opportunity to play a crucial role in the fight against HIV/AIDS especially within their workplace simply because it may be the only source of accurate information workers will have about HIV/AIDS. Activities such as condom distribution, counseling and testing and access to HIV/AIDS flyers and booklets would send a strong message to staff that the company cares and values their contribution and importantly does not want to lose anyone.

Let’s be the change we want to see happen by organizing a World AIDS Day 2011 event!!