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Home |   About Us |   Contact Us |   Members |   Search |   Subscribe |   Disclaimer |   THE GUARDIAN CONSCIENCE, NURTURED BY TRUTH LAGOS, NIGERIA.     Wednesday, June 30 2004   news   editorial/opinion   policy & politics   focus/record   business   sports   capital market   metro   arts   money watch   energy   maritime   Guardian Chat Click to join the chatroom Govt to implement policy on HIV/AIDS at workplaces From Mathias Okwe, Abuja THE Federal Government yesterday restated its resolve to implement the national policy on HIV/AIDS at workplaces immediately it is passed. The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Hassan Lawal, restated the government's resolve yesterday at a stakeholder's workshop to consider the draft policy. He spoke even as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agary at the occasion put the number of workers in their prime, between the ages of 15 and 49 world-wide, including Nigeria, affected with the HIV/AIDS pandemic at more than 25 million. Her words: "The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that more than 25 million workers aged 15 to 49 years, in the prime of their working lives, are affected." The permanent secretary added: "It is also estimated that the projected labour force in the hardest hit countries in Africa will be 20 to 40 per cent smaller by 2015 if nothing is done." The stakeholders comprises civil society organisations, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs), the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) Nigerian Employers Consultative Assembly (NECA) and governmental and private agencies. He said: "The Federal Government, in furtherance of its battle plan against the scourge, was using the Labour Ministry's area of comparative advantage in collaboration with its social partners in the spirit of tripartism and social dialogue to combat the threat of HIV/AIDS. "Posterity will judge us if we fail to act now, to mitigate the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in our workplaces," Dr. Hassan added. He listed the impact to include: Fear, stigmatisation and discrimination; increase absenteeism; increased medical costs; loss of skilled and experienced workers; low productivity; death of loved ones and depression. � 2003 - 2004 @ Guardian Newspapers Limited (All Rights Reserved).  Powered by dnetsystems.net dnet�

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