By Akanimo Sampson
Senior Technical Specialist, Gender Equality, Diversity and ILOAIDS, Afsar Syed Mohammad, says people living with HIV are not just being left behind they are being pushed further back.
“The disruption to antiretroviral treatment (ART), the loss of jobs, the lack of access to unemployment benefits and health insurance are very real fears for those living with HIV during this pandemic,’’ says the ILO chief.
Writing on Work in Progress, Mohammad says “what I have heard from those I spoke to in Africa and Asia is alarming,’’ adding that the main global objective currently remains the fight against COVID-19.
Work in Progress is, however, a blog of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) where experts share insights about the world of work and the state of the global economy, while ILO aims to promote rights at work, encourage decent job opportunities for all, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.
According to Mohammad, “we cannot forget the AIDS epidemic that the world has been fighting for more than 30 years. It is important to address both problems at the same time.
“This approach will ensure that the gains made in fighting AIDS are not lost, and help us address the issues being faced by people living with HIV in this health emergency. Will people living with HIV continue to receive their ART?
“If people living with HIV show up with COVID-19 symptoms in a health care setting, will they get the same treatment as others? Will people living with HIV who lose their jobs and livelihoods due to COVID-19 be taken care of? Will they be able to resume their work when the situation normalizes and have access to adequate social protection?
“These questions must be addressed and answers found, in consultation with people living with HIV. In addition, with the goal of zero discrimination against people living with HIV still to be reached, COVID-19 should not be allowed, or used as an excuse, to exacerbate stigma and discrimination.
“The pledge of the UN Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind, built around the principle of protecting the human rights of all, must not be forgotten during this pandemic.’’
Protect the jobs of people living with HIV
The latest ILO Monitor on COVID-19 and the world of work shows that COVID-19 is already affecting millions of informal economy workers who lack the basic protection that formal jobs usually provide, including social protection coverage.
For people with HIV the situation is much worse. Even before the pandemic, data from the UNAIDS GAP Report showed they are three times more likely to be out of work.
Continuing, Mohammad said, “when I spoke to Daxa Patel, President of the National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India, she told me that they were really concerned about losing jobs and incomes and that the closing of international markets and the absence of buyers is forcing companies to reduce production.
“According to Patel, people living with HIV who are in the informal economy or are daily-wage earners are the hardest hit. It is time to re-examine existing national employment and social protection schemes so that measures to address the economic survival and wellbeing of people living with HIV are included.’’
A large number of HIV workplace policies and commitments – at national, sectoral and enterprise levels – have been developed already.
They commit to ensuring non-discrimination and continuity of employment. They also provide guidance on the role of workplaces in enhancing access to HIV testing, prevention, treatment, care and support services.
The ILO chief added, “These policies must not be interrupted because of the COVID-19 crisis. In fact, the pandemic increases the need to speed up the implementation of these policies. The joint communiqué of employers’ and workers’ organisations in Uganda on COVID-19 and the world of work sets a good example.
“This health emergency cannot be used as an excuse to forget those in vulnerable situations. HIV prevention, testing and treatment services should not slow down. We must continue to implement measures against stigma and discrimination (measures that took decades to develop) so that no one, especially people living with HIV, is left behind during this crisis.’’
