HIV/AIDS in the workplace is a national responsibility (Lesley please assess)

South African employees, skilled and unskilled have favourable conditions throughout the continent. The reason being, they collect a better pay than their counterparts in other African countries. Moreover, they work under suitable conditions with better technology.

Looking at opportunities for skilled labour in South Africa, one can highlight their convenience to access medical aid. This means they can afford antiretroviral therapy (ART) should they discover that they are HIV positive and when the time arrives for therapy. This is a great opportunity not only for individuals but also the organisations they work for together with the country. Employees are assets that contribute towards sustaining the country's economy.

However, not much is done at the work place by both the South Afriacn government and emloyers to educate the employee on the importance of knowing one's status as far as the virus is concerned. This issue does not only lie with private organisations but civil service too. As a result, the country loses a lot of money through aids related deaths of its assets, human resource.

If the government could embark on a project to encourage employees nationwide to know their status, it would save the country a huge loss. Academic merit should be respected and employees must be given an intensive education on how the virus invades the Tcells in ones body. Furthermore, it should be made clear how the virus multiplies in the body and its development throught the years. If this could be highlighted, perhaps employees would start thinking carefully and positively. Consequntly, ART helps in sustaining an infected person's life. This information or knowledge makes people less afraid and encouraged to take charge.

Group education can be very useful in situatons like this as people encourage one another while indulging in discussions among themselves. Free precouncelling services at the workplace would also make employees at ease while stiff, cold consultation rooms with a serious doctor in a white coat is intimidating.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) governing body paper compiled in 2001, the majority of those who die of aids are udults in their productive prime. This makes the impact of HIV and aids on the labour force extremely servere.

I therefore challenge South African government together with the employer to educate an employee on the advantage of knowing her or his status.