ITF and IMHA organised satellite meeting, “AIDS in the transport industry” during the ICAAP

During the International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) the ITF and the International Maritime Health Association (IMHA) organised a satellite symposium “AIDS in the transport industry”. In fact this was the only session during the 5 days conference, which was dedicated to HIV/AIDS in the transport sector. The objective of the session was to provide the participants with an overall picture of the problem of HIV/AIDS in the transport industry; to encourage debate and discussion on the necessity of more targeted intervention for transport workers, and to develop network and meaningful partnership with other relevant stakeholders.

The session was attended by a large number of participants who also took part in an interesting debate after the presentations from Dr. Syed Asif Altaf from the ITF, Dr. Nebojsa Nikolic from the IMHA and Dr. Rob Verbist from the SHIP project. The following issues were discussed in the meeting:

HIV/AIDS should not be considered a threat to public health in shipping because it is transmitted through specific behaviour, which is almost always private. The occupational exposure risks of HIV infection at sea are limited to the treatment of injuries and there are well-established precautions to avoid these.

There should be no discrimination against seafarers on the basis of real or perceived HIV status. HIV infection is not a cause for termination of employment at sea and persons with HIV related illness should be able to work for as long as medically fit
Selection for employment based on HIV status is unacceptable. HIV testing should be a matter for the individual and his/her clinical advisers, and not a condition for obtaining employment.

HIV testing must be voluntary. The testing must be performed only when clinically appropriate, and accompanied by consent has to remain at the heart of all HIV policies and programmes in the shipping industry, both to comply with human rights principles and to ensure sustained public health benefits.

Fighting HIV good for business: Launching of Sri Lankan Coalition on HIV/AIDS

The Sri Lankan Coalition on HIV/AIDS was officially launched during the ICCAP with the objective to get more companies business involved in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. The collation started with 21 companies, it also developed partnership with other stakeholders like International Labour Organisation (ILO), trade unions, the Employers Federation of Ceylon and the Sri Lankan Chambers of Commerce.  
There is evidence from multinational companies, as well as small and medium enterprises, revealing that companies are being forced to address the issues of HIV/AIDS not for reasons of good corporate responsibility, but out of sheer self interest.

For companies with workforces in regions that have high rates of HIV infection or burgeoning epidemics, the growing HIV rates in the workforce and communities in which they operate increase the cost of business. Increased absenteeism is one of the primary drivers of rising visible cost and declining productivity in business as a consequence of HIV/AIDS. A survey by the Kenyan Employers has shown that HIV/AIDS is costing an average of US $ 25-36 per employee per year but a comprehensive HIV prevention programme would cost US $ 15 in the first year, gradually decreasing thereafter.

Experts comments: Asian laws foster irrationality, discrimination and injustice

Specific laws in some Asian countries are depriving people of access to AIDS treatment, to education and to HIV prevention programmes. Legal reforms are urgently needed to create supportive environments for HIV programmes and services.

According to Judge Edwin Cameron, a renowned lawyer and AIDS activist, “ Laws that incarcerate injecting drug users, that punish and criminalize them are making our job more difficult. By criminalizing the people who provide commercial sex services, we target them, we subordinate them further, and we make the gender inequality and discrimination even worse.” A recent survey highlighted two priorities for legal reforms in the region: development of appropriate legal mechanisms to support marginalized communities; and unified regional approaches to international legal frameworks such as TRIPS, free trade agreements and other intellectual property regulations to support access to essential drugs, diagnostic tests, syringes and condoms.   

Anand Grover, a noted lawyer and heading the Lawyers’ Collective in India commented, “ Our laws are not adequate in terms of protection because we need to appreciate that if we have to battle this disease it is going to be through empowerment- empowerment through knowledge, empowerment through being able to negotiate safer sex and this can only be done through education and information. If you have laws that do not protect the rights of the people who are affected and infected, then AIDS will remain a concentrated epidemic.”