AEGiS-14IAC: Shameful worst practices of multinational corporations regarding people with HIV/AIDS.

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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Shameful worst practices of multinational corporations regarding people with HIV/AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. G12548)

Lynch S, Russell A, Baker B
Health GAP Coalition, NYC, United States

Life-sustaining medications. Antiretroviral medications (ARV) have brought dramatic improvements in the health of PWA/HIV in most developed countries and in developing countries where access has been established. In developing countries, the struggle for access to life sustaining medical care and drugs for PWA/HIV must occur in the private sector as well as the public sector. Multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in developing countries have a moral obligation to implement HIV/AIDS workplace policies that include non-discriminatory policies, awareness and prevention programs, confidential voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), and provision for treatment, care, and support for affected/infected employees and their families and household members.

DESCRIPTION: This presentation will include an evaluation of existing workplace programs and updates regarding the state of an international campaign to pressure MNC to implement HIV/AIDS workplace policies that include a provision of care, treatment, and support.

ISSUES: Most MNCs are doing little more than monitoring the impact of the AIDS pandemic upon their workforce. A small number of multinational corporations have adopted non-discriminatory policies towards PLWHIV or prevention and educational programs. However, almost all MNCs are falling short of their full responsibilities to provide treatment of AIDS to their direct and indirect employees.

RECOMMENDATIONS: HIV/AIDS workplace programs must be developed in collaboration of employees, and where possible, in coordination with community-based initiatives. MNCs must provide for the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and opportunistic infections, medicines for the prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT), antiretroviral treatment and appropriate monitoring and testing, home-based care, palliative care and hospitalization.

Keywords: AEGIS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Developing Countries, Organizations, Counseling, AIDS Serodiagnosis, Learning, World Health Organization, Memory, Child, Human, DiagnosisKWDaegis,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hivinfections,hivseropositivity,developingcountries,organizations,counseling,aidsserodiagnosis,learning,worldhealthorganization,memory,child,human,diagnosis

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G12548

Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.