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Tuesday, 5 August 2014 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Current situation on HIV and AIDS
Setting the mood for the evening, a few movie trailers were projected and then Dr. Pradeep Premadasa took the stage and walked the audience through a presentation on the current situation on HIV and AIDS. Dr. Premadasa stated that Sri Lanka has been battling with HIV AIDS for nearly 30 years with the first case being reported in 1987.
As of 2013 the ratio of infected persons stands at 60% male and 40% female. The probable mode of transmission of HIV infection among 1845 cases reported since 1987 is heterosexual transmission, followed by same sexual/Bisexual transmission amounting to 16%. Intravenous drug use and sharing of needles/syringes leading to HIV transmission is very low. The Mother to Child transmission of HIV is 5%.
The age and sex distribution of all HIV infections reported up to the end of 2013; a majority of the cases have been reported in the age group of 25-49 which is considered to be the workforce in the corporate sector.
n Male to female ratio of reported HIV cases - 1.5:1
n Cumulative AIDS deaths reported – 310
n Cumulative vertically transmitted HIV cases reported – 71
n Cumulative foreign HIV cases reported – 93
n HIV zero-positivity rate – 0.03%
Global report on HIV in 2012 states that there is a 20% reduction in HIV cases, however there is an upward trend of new infections from countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines. Several factors affect young persons who are vulnerable to contract HIV. Altered lifestyles, Lack of knowledge and the use of recreational drugs.
Key populations at risk are female sex workers and their clients, Men who have sex with other men and drug users. Men who have sex with other men are facing a higher risk as condom use is very low. Spreading awareness and getting people to volunteer for tests are important and it is important to remove stigma from the society.
Inoka’s story
Inoka has been living with HIV since 2004. She had been working at a private company in Colombo during that time. Her boyfriend passed away in 2004 due to AIDS and she was unaware of the reason for his death. During the same time she too started to fall sick. She did not know about HIV.
Inoka was taken to the hospital by her employer and then they got to know that she was HIV positive. She was consulted at the clinic and she imagined that she would die the very next day or the very next hour.
She lost her job after her employer got to know that she had contracted HIV. Her employer had then requested her to hand in a voluntary resignation letter and had asked her to inform her family about her illness. She could not bring herself to inform her family and asked her brother to go and meet her employer. Through the employer the family got to know that she was HIV positive.
Inoka was unemployed for four years since 2004. In 2008 when she visited the clinic they advised her to start treatment for HIV as her immune system was getting weak. During her years of being unemployed her family had been very supportive to her and assisted her financially and emotionally. Inoka stated that living with HIV is not the issue but being stigmatised for living with HIV is like death.
A panel discussion was moderated by the Daily FT Editor Nisthar Cassim and the panel comprised of LBCH Chairman and Standard Chartered Bank CEO Anirvan Ghosh Dastidar, Chevron Lubricants Lanka Plc CEO/ Managing Director Kishu Gomes, Inoka, Laugfs Leisure Director Srilal Miththapala.
“It was a touching story shared by Inoka, but at the same time it is a sad story, especially what happened to her. She is very courageous and society needs to be responsible on how they react and respond towards people living with HIV,” Cassim stated, kicking off the panel discussion.
Cassim: Being the Chairman of LBCH for two years what has been your experience?
Gomes: I headed LBCH for two years and have been a member of the board for the past six years. At the end of the 30 year war we expected to see an improvement in the economy. We sent our workforce to other countries and most of these countries had a high prevalence of HIV and AIDS. The current trend is getting out of hand as there is two infections reported every week. Looking back at Dr. Premadasa’s presentation we notice that the highest percentage of HIV is reported from the age group of 25-49 years which is basically the workforce of the country. That is around nine million out of the 20 million population of Sri Lanka. It is important to have a healthy workforce and awareness needs to be spread among them to protect and nurture them.
Cassim: Whose responsibility is it to spread awareness and arrest the situation?
Gomes: Business leaders should take the lead by identifying that there is an issue, unfortunately they have not recognised the magnitude of the issue.
Cassim: What is your take on the tourism industry’s experience?
Miththapala: The exposure and temptation can be great in the tourism industry and it is important to spread awareness in the industry. About five years ago a program was rolled out by an NGO with regard to creating awareness on HIV and AIDS. The informal sector of the tourism industry is the hotspot as the flash points are much bigger if you take the beach boys.
Cassim: How has this been integrated to the HR policy, procedure manuals in hospitality and tourism?
Miththapala: I think it is a great idea to integrate and HIV AIDS policy in to the manuals and maybe we could get the Doctor to make a presentation at different institutions.
Dastidar: If the companies have their own trainers LBCH can offer to train the trainers and then awareness sessions can be carried out by the trainers within the company.
The floor was then open to share audience feedback on the evening’s presentation and what steps they would take to create awareness in their organisations. The discussion turned out to be a very interactive session where the audience presented their views and suggestions and LBCH Chairman responded to their suggestions.
Representative from Hirda-ramani: Our Human Resources team can conduct the training sessions on creating awareness on HIV and AIDS and we request LBCH to assist us in training our trainers.
Dastidar: It is important to create awareness and get employees to volunteer for tests.
Representative from World Bank: The World Bank has a significant program in Washington and if LBCH could customise similar material by creating a video strip to get the audience attention and use social media can help in spreading the awareness.
Dastidar: The training material at LBCH is already customised according to each sector and is available on our website. You may also get in touch with the help centre to obtain these details. Over the years LBCH has noticed that the training sessions are effective as well.
Representative from Prima: Training the trainer program can be disseminated and I will request HR to look in to integrating HIV and AIDS policy in to the framework.
Representative from UNAIDS: The best example of policy framework where HIV AIDS is integrated is in JKH. At least 15 institutions have the policy framework in place. HIV testing is stigmatised and getting around it is important. Having a HIV testing week can assist with this.
Dr. Premadasa: Testing for HIV has significantly increased especially through volunteer testing and ward testing. Blood tests are carried out in relevant clinics throughout the country .
Representative from JKH: What we can do as the corporate sector is to adopt a policy and LBCH can assist you with setting up the policy framework. You can form workplace committees to create awareness so that thought and awareness can be kept alive. Confidential testing can also be carried out. Our policy does not allow discrimination and an infected person can still continue to work in our organisation.
Representative from LBCH: It is important that we change the language we speak. A value judgement needs to be made and a mindset change needs to take place.
On a different note, Cassim asked Inoka to how she managed with her financial situation during the four years she was unemployed. “My family was very supportive and some of the treatment is provided for free by the government and the clinic provides funds to purchase the rest of the treatment,” Inoka responded.
Wrapping up the discussion, the panel added their final remarks:
“HIV policy needs to be integrated in the HR policy. An organisation should not have a policy for the sake of documentation but implement the policy as well. During the years LBCH has reached many companies who were not interested on the free training sessions we had to offer,” Gomes stated.
Analysing the overall situation, Miththapala noted: “I thought HIV and AIDS was in a low status but after viewing the presentation made by Dr. Premadasa it has created an awareness in me about the current situation. Awareness should be created in all the sectors.”
Cassim then asked Inoka whether she would participate in training session to share her story for which she responded as, “I am already a part of training programs carried out in JKH and military forces. I think that when a HIV positive person addresses them it will inspire them to take action and spread awareness.”
LBCH regularly passes ‘the pillow of awareness’ to top corporations, who in receiving it symbolically pledge their support to the cause. Some of the top companies who are members include Ceylon Tobacco Company, John Keells Holdings PLC, Access Engineering, Aitken Spence PLC, Dialog Telecom plc, Hatton National Bank, Etisalat Lanka (Private) Limited and Jetwing Hotels.
In return for their support, LBCH conducts special training and awareness programs, screening programmes and counselling for those employees affected by the disease. They also provide advice and support on implementing an HIV and AIDs policy within an organisation.
LBCH as a coalition of individual corporates has partnered with organisations such as the National STD/AIDS Control Programme of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour, ILO, UNAIDS, Chambers of Commerce, and Employers Federation to address the critical issue of HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention.
– Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera and Lasantha Kumara
