Driving home the Aids message

The Zambian government has
published an HIV and Aids
Policy for the Transport
Sector in Zambia which spells
out the responsibilities of both
employers and employees.
Finalised in 2010, the policy
document says “the Government
of Zambia has highlighted
mobility as one of the six key
drivers of the HIV epidemic
in Zambia, and in response
set itself the national goal: to
initiate, revitalise and scale
up innovative HIV prevention
programmes for mobile
populations.”
It adds: “Despite significant
decreases in certain populations
and geographic areas over the
past two years, Zambia‘s HIV
epidemic has stabilised at high
levels.”
Overall prevalence is 14.3%.
Around 1.6% of the adult
population – approximately
82 681 people in 2009 – are
newly infected each year.
“Key stakeholders in the
transport sector” include
Government, employers
and employees and their
representatives, health care
service providers, community
organisations, inter-governmental
and non-governmental
organisations, religious groups
and suppliers of goods and
services to the transport sector.
In terms of the policy,
employers are required to
formulate HIV and AIDS
policies, train employees on the
health risks, include HIV-related
key performance indicators
in the job descriptions of all
relevant employees and middle
level managers, and encourage
voluntary counselling and
testing.
“Comprehensive insurance
schemes” are also to be
established for employees.
Employees through their trade
unions, in turn, are required
to “actively participate and
make an input into sector and
workplace policy formulation,
programme planning,
implementation monitoring and
evaluation,” facilitate liaison
with employers and government
to educate their members,
support voluntary testing and
counselling, and “advocate for
and co-operate with employers
to maintain a safe and healthy
working environment.”