Module 5: HIV/AIDS Issues: How Do We Respond? (Continued)

Principles of Interventions:

• HIV/AIDS is just another chronic disease and its management needs to be normalised. (The big challenge is volumes).
• Maintain human dignity.
• Minimise isolation.
• Remain a sustainable organisation.
• Make decisions based on best available knowledge.
• Be prepared to change.

Prevention:

• Awareness & Education:
• World AIDS day.
• Peer supporter projects.
• Peer education.
• Line management education.
• Corporate communication.
• Condom promotion and distribution.
• STI Management.
• Early referral to clinics.
• Psycho-social support for affected people.

Living with HIV/AIDS - HIV in the workplace:

It is essential that an "Aids friendly" environment be created. Consider the following points:

• AIDS policy - roles of:
• Line Managers.
• Human Resources
• Health Services
• Employees
• Infected people
• Voluntary testing & counselling
• EAP
• Peer support
• Sick leave policy

Medical management:

Persons living with HIV/AIDS should have access to:

• Clinical services: Private or State
• Counselling & support services
• Wellness Management (Directly or through medical scheme)
• Immune boosting.
• Prophylactic antibiotics.
• Vaccination.
• Lifestyle issues – nutrition etc.

Access to Benefits:

• Sick leave policy - do you change it for AIDS?
• Medical benefits - not all to be provided by the State.
• ART;
• Hospitalisation;
• Hospice/home care;
• Incapacity process.

HIV/AIDS: Management Principles:

• Manage the risk of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the business. (Rational decision making).
• Primary focus is on PREVENTION.
• Share the liability to manage AIDS with other stakeholders.
• Primary focus is on employees, with the secondary focus on their dependants.
• People who have AIDS need to be managed on the basis of their work performance.