RESPECT RIGHTS OF WORKERS ON ART, EMPLOYERS TOLD

EMPLOYEES on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in North-western province should have their human rights respected by their employers, provincial HIV/AIDS coordination advisor Hillary Sakala has said.

Mr Sakala said in an interview yesterday that there was need for employers to maintain the confidentiality for their workers instead of stigmatizing and maligning them on the basis of their appearance or medical condition.

“Keeping HIV test results confidentially is every employees’ right which should be respected at places of work,” Mr Sakala said.

He said HIV/AIDS was not a death sentence as it was manageable and treatment for those who tested positive was effective.

Mr Sakala said organisations should break the silence on stigma surrounding AIDS by coming up with wellness policies for their employees.

Meanwhile, Zambia union of allied workers provincial chairperson Kakunta Chola urged civil servants who were HIV positive to join counselling groups for people living positively to strengthen each other.

Mr Kakunta said Government workers should encourage their colleagues who were positive by treating them with love and respect.

He said that stigmatizing those who were positive discouraged them from not only taking their medication but also lost focus on their work.

Mr. Kakunta advised the civil servants in the province to know their HIV status by going for a test because healthy workers were a productive workforce.

He commended Government for having a wellness policy and work place committees for civil servants to motivate their employees to take interest in health matters.