AIDS Debate in Parliament by Next March

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has assured persons living with HIV/AIDS that the National HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy is expected o be debated in Parliament during the 2009/10 session, which ends next March.
The draft policy was tabled in Parliament on November 11, following consideration of the Green Paper (preliminary report) by a Joint Select Committee of Parliament. The policy is to be appended as a regulation to the proposed Occupational, Safety and Health Act, which is being implemented by the Ministry to address health and safety concerns in the workplace.
The policy is an indication of a resolve by tripartite partners (Government, employers and workers) to establish an appropriate framework to address HIV/AIDS in the workplace, guided by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) 10-point Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS.
In a release on Monday, the Ministry said it continues to take steps to reduce stigma and discrimination against persons living with the disease, through its Voluntary Compliance Programme which is being administered by its Industrial Safety Department.
This programme targets employers, and provides guidance and support materials to assist them in developing and implementing occupational safety, health and HIV/AIDS programmes.