ILO launches AIDS programme

ILO launches massive HIV/AIDS programme for Indian corporates

ILO launches massive HIV/AIDS programme for Indian corporates

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Kolkata, July 30 (PTI) The International Labour Organisation (ILO) today said it had launched a comprehensive programme to sensitise big corporate houses across the country to provide equal job opportunities and security to employees affected with HIV/AIDS.

ILO National Project Coordinator S M Afsar told a business meet on HIV/AIDS conducted by CII here that at least 55 big corporates had been convinced to adopt the ILO code of practice and guidelines for employers in this regard.

"About 55 corporate houses from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal have adopted the guidelines and we are in the process of sensitising more organisations to take the proposal up on humanitarian grounds," he said.

In India, over 5.1 million people had HIV/AIDS till the end of 2003, of which 90 per cent of the infections were from the most productive age group of 15 to 49 years.

"The underlying basis of the programme is that if an HIV/AIDS person is sacked, he would be killed faster than he would otherwise have been with the virus," Afsar pointed out.

The guidelines were based on the premise that HIV people could live a productive life for years, there was no risk to co-workers and a prevention programme would cost lesser if initiated early.

"Though we have been got good response from many corporates, the approach of some others to the issue was disappointing," Afsar pointed out.

ILO was providing technical assistance to the corporates and framed an improved policy framework, he added.

In West Bengal, 19 companies had embraced the policy with a cluster of enterprises in Sankrail, Durgapur, the Ordnance factory and Metro Railaway being some of them.