Reaching out the first 90 goal by introducing the ILO-WHO Joint Guideline on HIV Self-Testing at Workplace

The ILO raise the national companies’ awareness about the HIV self-testing initiative as part of community-based screening, aimed to increase the number of people who know their HIV status and seek treatment. The event marks the final ILO webinars in conjunction with the commemoration of the World AIDS Day 2020.

News | Jakarta, Indonesia | 17 December 2020
To support Indonesia’s national effort to reach the goal of 90 percent of estimated people living with HIV know their status by 2030, the ILO organized a virtual interactive session regarding the ILO-WHO Joint Guideline on HIV self-testing (HIVST) at workplace on 11 December. The guideline, developed in 2018 aims to increase HIV awareness and scale up the strategy at workplace that makes HIV testing services more accessible and appealing to those in need.

As part of the HIV/AIDS prevention programme, HIVST may provide the benefits at workplaces as it can reach many workers at risk of HIV infection with lower access to HIV testing services. It also may increase uptake of HIV testing by offering workers greater confidentiality and autonomy and saving time for workers and health-care providers."

Syed M. Afsar, ILO’s Senior Technical Specialist on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work
The Indonesian Ministry of Health data in 2020 revealed that only 398,784 of 543,100 estimated people living with HIV/AIDS in the country know HIV status. Meanwhile, out of 640,443 people with HIV/AIDS in 2018, only 17 percent of them receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ARV).

Syed M. Afsar, ILO’s Senior Technical Specialist on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work, highlighted three pillars of HIV programme at workplace as all covered by the HIVST: Prevention, treatment and human rights. “As part of the HIV/AIDS prevention programme, HIVST may provide the benefits at workplaces as it can reach many workers at risk of HIV infection with lower access to HIV testing services. It also may increase uptake of HIV testing by offering workers greater confidentiality and autonomy and saving time for workers and health-care providers,” he said.

As of June 2018, 59 countries have adopted HIVST policies and many others are developing them. One of the countries is South Africa. South Africa introduced HIVST in industries that employ mostly men, such as mining, construction, security, petroleum and agriculture. Between January and June 2018, 66 percent of the HIVST kits distributed went to men and of those tested, 4.2 percent were diagnosed HIV positive.

“To ensure the effectiveness of the HIVST at workplace, advocacy with the high-level management is key and trade unions play an effective role in ensuring the implementation of the HIVST. The management is bit more sceptical, although most staff welcome the initiative,” added Afsar presenting the lessons learned from the experiences in other countries.

The signing of non-discriminatory commitment and policy of PT Angkasa Pura II

Prevention programmes remain our priority programme through awareness raising and VCT@Work. For those who found HIV positive can continue working and have the same access and benefits with other employees."

Bayuh Iswantoro, Vice President of Corporate Safety Management of PT Angkasa Pura II
Responding to the HIVST initiative, two national companies, PT Angkasa Pura II, an airport transport company and PT Waskita Karya (Persero), a construction company, presented various HIV prevention programmes they have conducted, including the commitment from the high-level management about the application of a non-discriminatory policy.

Bayuh Iswantoro, Vice President of Corporate Safety Management of PT Angkasa Pura II, presented commitment of the company through the development of a non-discriminatory policy, training of trainers on HIV prevention, VCT@Work programme and peer counsellors. “Prevention programmes remain our priority programme through awareness raising and VCT@Work. For those who found HIV positive can continue working and have the same access and benefits with other employees,” he said.

One of the HIV education programmes at the workplace
Similarly, Subhan, SVP QHSE and System Division of PT Waskita Karya (Persero), explained that the HIV prevention programmes have been implemented in its all working units and projects. “HIV prevention programme has become the key performance indicator for all our field managers and we collaborated with primary health clinics on managing VCT@Work in 35 road construction project sites in Indonesia. As a result, we have been awarded with HIV awards by the Ministry of Manpower,” told Subhan.

HIV prevention programme has become the key performance indicator for all our field managers and we collaborated with primary health clinics on managing VCT@Work in 35 road construction project sites in Indonesia. As a result, we have been awarded with HIV awards by the Ministry of Manpower."

Subhan, SVP QHSE and System Division of PT Waskita Karya (Persero)
The interactive session was concluded with an agreement that HIVST at workplace initiative was important and strategic initiative that could be integrated into the existing HIV prevention and VCT programmes and help enterprises mitigating the impact of HIV at workplace and to eliminate stigma and discrimination. However, there was a need for more intensive HIV education and awareness programme to encourage the voluntarily participation of workers in this initiative.

This interactive session also marked the final webinars conducted by the ILO’s HIV programme from October to December 2020. As part of the World AIDS Day 2020, the ILO conducted a series of eight webinars raising various issues related to HIV/AIDS and the world of work to strengthen the implementation of non-discriminatory policy and HIV prevention programme at the workplace.