HIV/AIDS Policy in the work place.

1. Hiv/aids Sector
work place policy
the Ministry Of national security

2. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes AIDS
(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
HIV only affects humans. It does so by gradually weakening the immune system
making it difficult for the body to fight infection. HIV is microscopic and can only
survive in cells that are living while destroying them.
1. Modes of Transmission
HIV is transmitted from an infected person to another through blood and blood
products, semen (and pre-ejaculation fluid), vaginal fluids and breast milk.
Transmission of HIV takes place in four main ways namely:-
􀀥 Unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner – anal (high-risk),
vaginal (high-risk), oral (low-risk); transplants or the use of contaminated injection
or other skin piercing equipment);
􀀥 From infected mother to child in the womb or at birth or during breast feeding –
The chance of infection from mother to child declined to less than 10% in 2007
from 25% in 2002; or
􀀥 By sharing intravenous drug needles with an HIV infected person.

3. Goal and Purpose
Goal:
To promote a healthy lifestyle among employees and clients of the
Ministry in relation to HIV and AIDS.
Purpose :
a) Assist in the reduction of HIV transmission through the promotion of
prevention, knowledge and HIV risk reduction skills;
b) Assist in facilitating access to treatment, care and support for people
living with HIV (PLHIV);
c) Empower employees, clients and volunteers to reduce discrimination
against persons infected with and affected by HIV and AIDS; and
d) Decrease the impact of HIV/AIDS through planning, intervention,
improved knowledge and action skills among the Ministry’s
employees and clients.

4. Outcomes
1. Improved knowledge and HIV/AIDS prevention skills among
employees, volunteers and
clients of the Ministry.
2. Improved support mechanisms for the Ministry’s employees and
clients who are living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.
3. Strengthened promotional capacity of the Ministry’s employees and
clients for sexually responsible attitudes and behaviour.
4. Reduction in stigma and discrimination and improved accepting
attitudes towards PLHIV.
5. Provision of framework around HIV/AIDS for appropriate legislative
changes

5. Objectives:
1. To provide a framework to educate employees, clients and volunteers of
the Ministry about HIV/AIDS issues on a continuous basis;
2. To establish and provide guidance and support mechanisms for the
Ministry’s employees and clients who are living with or affected by HIV
and AIDS;
3. To build the capacity of the Ministry’s employees and clients to promote
sexually responsible attitudes and behaviour;
4. To reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination through promotion of
accepting attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLHIV) including
establishing standards of expected behaviour towards HIV and PLHIV;
and
5. To promote the establishment of a supportive policy framework to
enable the legislative environment..

6. Objective # 1
Objective 1: To provide a framework to educate employees, volunteers and clients
of the Ministry, its Departments and Agencies about HIV/AIDS issues on a
continuous basis.
Employees
􀀥 Integration of HIV/AIDS prevention knowledge and skills in orientation
and training programmes.
􀀥 Developing and sustaining the use of cultural approaches through train-the-trainer and
peer education workshops.
􀀥 Expanded access to condoms, condom-use and other prevention skills
Clients
􀀥 Facilitation of 100% Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) of convicted persons
and wards at reception
􀀥 Encouragement and promotion of VCT for other clients
􀀥 Development of guidelines to facilitate access to treatment and prevention behaviour
􀀥 Establishing non-traditional and non-sensational methods to increase access to
condoms, condom-use and other prevention skills

7. Objective # 2
Objective 2: To establish support mechanisms for the
Ministry’s employees and clients who are infected or
affected by HIV and AIDS
􀀥 Development of guidelines for an appropriate care and
support mechanism for the Ministry’s employees and clients
living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.
􀀥 Development of guidelines to promote and garner external
financial and technical assistance to aid the Ministry’s
employees and clients living with HIV and AIDS.

8. Objective # 3
Objective 3: To build the capacity of the Ministry’s employees and
clients to promote
HIV/AIDS prevention attitudes and behaviour
􀀥 Training and sensitization of steering committees/teams or working link
groups and various categories of management.
􀀥 Integration of HIV/AIDS prevention knowledge and skills into general
staff
development programmes including, but not limited to provision of
literature, training and sensitisation regarding HIV/AIDS facts, issues,
misconceptions, prevention knowledge and skills.
􀀥 Empowerment of people at the workplace to cope with persons infected
with and affected by HIV and AIDS.

9. Objective # 4
To reduce HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination through promotion of accepting
attitudes towards PLHIV
􀀥 Integration of anti-stigma and anti-discriminatory education and practices into
existing workplace programmes including staff development, training and skills
building programmes.
􀀥 Involvement of PLHIV in workplace interventions.
􀀥 Integration and promotion of the National HIV Related Discrimination
Reporting and Redress System (NHDRRS).
􀀥 Establishment of systems to ensure confidentiality of all employee records.
􀀥 Development and/or integration of existing staff protocols, procedures and
guidelines to address discriminatory practices within the workplace including sanctions
and disciplinary action.

10. Objective # 5
To promote the establishment of a supportive policy
framework to enable the legislative environment
􀀥 Approval and implementation of the workplace policy to
create inter alia, a supportive environment.

11. Rights and Responsibilities
Employees
Employees of the MNS, Departments, and Agencies regardless of
real or perceived HIV status shall have the right to:-
􀀥 Privacy and confidentiality;
􀀥 Protection of personal information;
􀀥 Continuation of employment and benefits;
􀀥 Protection from abuse;
􀀥 Reporting mechanisms to document discrimination complaints;
􀀥 Protection from stigmatisation and discrimination;
􀀥 Access to prevention knowledge and skill;
􀀥 Access to treatment, care and support;
􀀥 Referral to appropriate resources; and
􀀥 Exercise appropriate HIV/STI prevention behaviour.

12. Rights and Responsibilities
contd.
Clients
All clients, regardless of real or perceived HIV status, should be afforded
the right to:-
􀀥 Medical care;
􀀥 Protection from abuse ;
􀀥 Reporting mechanisms to document discrimination complaints;
􀀥 Undergo voluntary testing and counselling or HIV testing with informed
consent;
􀀥 Confidentiality;
􀀥 Information about HIV/AIDS treatment and re-infection;
􀀥 Prevention knowledge and skills;
􀀥 Access to voluntary counselling and testing; and
􀀥 Exercise appropriate HIV/STI prevention behaviour.

13. Rights and Responsibilities
contd.
Ministry of National Security
The Ministry has the responsibility to ensure that:-
􀀥 An HIV/AIDS prevention education programme is designed,
implemented, monitored and evaluated;
􀀥 Workers and clients living with HIV have access to treatment, care and
support;
􀀥 The HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy on HIV/AIDS is implemented;
􀀥 Annual work plans are developed, implemented, monitored and
evaluated;
􀀥 Collaboration among stakeholders is facilitated;
􀀥 The Sector HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy is consistent with the Jamaica
National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan, the National HIV/AIDS Policy and the
National Workplace Policy on HIV/AIDS;

14. Thank You