ILO to distribute two million condoms in Ghana

Accra, Jan. 13, GNA - International Labour Organisation (ILO), on Wednesday announced anti-HIV and AIDS strategy to reduce the spread of the pandemic in Ghana.

It is expected to distribute about two million condoms in the country within the next two years. Other interventions included training of about 195 senior officers from 20 trades associations on removal of stigmatization and discrimination at workplace; reaching out to more than 55,400 vulnerable people within the informal sector workplace with HIV prevention programmes. The rest were training of 390 workplace Peer Educators, assist over 97 companies with Workplace HIV Policy and revise the National Workplace HIV Policy.

Mrs. Akua Ofori-Asumadu, ILO/AIDS Workplace HIV Education National Programme Co-ordinator, announced these at ILO/HIV and AIDS Programme Advisory Board meeting in Accra.

She noted that within the period, the programme would empower HIV and AIDS workplace managers with kits and user's guide necessary to build comprehensive HIV and AIDS workplace programmes. The kit enables managers to: develop HIV and AIDS policies for their workplaces; train managers to conduct HIV and AIDS workshops; educate staff and workers about basic facts about HIV and AIDS and its effect on the workplace; educate staff and workers' families; and promote community service and volunteerism.

Mrs. Ofori-Asumadu said the programme was also in the process of introducing the AIDS Impact Model for Business (AIM-B), an economic and demographic model designed to help managers analyze how HIV and AIDS was affecting their businesses and project.

She reminded corporate entities on the need to adopt workplace policy on HIV and AIDS and urged companies to contact the ILO office in Accra for Workplace Policy Builder (WPB) software designed to assist companies in developing their own HIV and AIDS policies through a participatory process. Mrs. Ofori-Asumadu said WPB would guide the user through the process of developing a policy step by step.

She reminded participants of ILO interventions, to reduce new infections, which included code of practice on HIV and AIDS, a framework for action related to the workplace.

It contains key principles for policy development and practical guidelines for programmes at enterprise, community and national levels. An education and training manual designed to help ILO partners understand the issues and apply the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work, which was adopted in May 2001, ILO HIV and AIDS behaviour change communication tool kit for the workplace. Dr Leopold Zekeng, UNAIDS Country Coordinator, emphasized the importance of workplace education to reduce new infections. He called for inculcation of resident apprentices - young boys and girls under the Ghana National Association of Garages, drinking bars, lorry stations, hairdressers and itinerant traders under the Ghana Union of Traders Association.

Other institutions that participated in the programme include; Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, Ghana AIDS Commission, Ghana Employers Association, Ghana Business Coalition Against AIDS, and Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC). The rest are the National AIDS Programme, GAPVOD, UNAIDS and other some governmental and non-government organizations. 13 Jan. 10