HIV/AIDS discrimination on the job continues despite business sector agreement—survey

HIV/AIDS discrimination on the job continues despite business sector agreement—survey

Published on Friday, 27 September 2013 17:36

Those discussing needs for HIV patients (Photo:EMG/Ei Thinza Kyaw)

In Myanmar's national effort to fight HIV/AIDS discrimination, the financial sector plays an important role. However, despite an agreement signed by Myanmar businesses to end discrimination based on HIV status, many people continue to lose their jobs for having the virus, a new survey says.

The survey, conducted by the Department of Medical Research (Lower Myanmar), the Burnet institute and the Myanmar Positive Group, indicates that the majority of the people living with HIV suffer discrimination from society at large, are prohibited from collective work in wards and streets, and are barred from food manufacturing. About 39.2 percent are treated negatively in their own neighbourhoods.

The survey, entitled "Socio-Economic Consequences of PLHIV Households in Myanmar," was also conducted at worksites. The majority of the HIV-positive respondents said that they seldom speak of their virus at work. However, when their employer discovers that they are HIV-positive, they are discriminated against and mostly fired from their jobs.

The anti-discrimination agreement was signed jointly in May last year by the Ministry of Health, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the Myanmar Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS.

In signing the agreement, more than 70 industries from the economic sector ranging from service to retail and including restaurants, hotels, and airlines, agreed to guarantee safe worksites for HIV-positive employees and to implement worksite policies that prohibit discrimination.

Although the facts about HIV/AIDS are freely available to the public, anti-discrimination programmes have yet to achieve success, according to reports from the 7th National PLHIV Forum 2013, organized by the Myanmar Positive Group.

"Most employers insist on blood checks, and they do not hire if HIV or Hepatitis-B is found. The situation is impossible. Such tests should be carried out only on a voluntary basis. We have found that employers have checked applicants' blood by force and did not appoint those who were HIV-positive or had Hepatitis-B. Some work sites have not accepted our educational services," Dr. Nwe Nwe Oo, from the Myanmar Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (MBCA) said.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/hivaids-discrimination-on-the-job-continues-despite-business-sector-agreement-survey/