HIV screening test results not a requirement for employment

Kumasi, Sept. 8, GNA - The Adansi HIV/AIDS Advocacy Network (ADHAN), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) based at Obuasi, has appealed to employers not to demand HIV screening test results as a requirement for employment.

The Network said, the reason being that HIV positive persons should be allowed to work as long as they were medically fit. This was contained in a guideline document the ADHAN issued on Monday and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, for organizations, institutions and companies on HIV/AIDS workplace policy. ADHAN noted that preventing new infections and providing care and support were key issues to guide them in developing HIV/AIDS workplace policy.

The document emphasised that HIV/AIDS was a workplace issue since it affected employers, employees and enterprises in terms of increasing labour costs, reducing productivity and profitability. "It also threatens the welfare of workers, their families and dependants and that it should be treated like any other illnesses at the workplace".

The guideline stressed the need for workplace to play major role in the wide national response to limit the spread of the pandemic. On discrimination against HIV positive persons, the document noted that they had the same rights and obligations as other staff members, therefore, should be protected against all forms of discrimination.

Miss Cecilia Mawutorwu, President of ADHAN, said: "All information concerning a worker's HIV status should be bound by the rules of confidentiality". She said the objective of the workplace policy was to provide protection from stigma and discrimination at the workplace of persons living with HIV/AIDS.