Strengthening the World of Work Response to TB and HIV in India

Background:

Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS have emerged as a major threat to the world of work. More than 90 percent of TB and HIV infections in India are reported from the most productive age group of 15-49 years. Most TB and HIV deaths in India occur among young adults in the economically productive age group, with high economic and social costs.

TB and HIV/AIDS can adversely affect employees and pose a serious threat to enterprise performance due to increased absenteeism, disruption of operations and increased expenditure on employee treatment, replacement and associated costs.

India stands committed to the goal of ‘achieving a rapid decline in burden of TB, morbidity and mortality while working towards elimination of TB in India by 2025’; and to the goal of goal of ‘ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030’.

The National TB control programme as well as the National AIDS Control programme, being run by the Ministry of Health envisage a multi-sectoral response with the engagement of the private sector/ employers, enterprises and trade unions in achieving these goals.

The ILO is engaged in strengthening the world of work response to HIV and TB in India in collaboration with its relevant stakeholders.

Objective:

The ILO programme aims to strengthen an integrated policy framework for TB and HIV/AIDS in the world of work in India, ending discrimination and protecting rights of workers living with HIV and TB. The ILO develops advocacy, communication and training tools, documents good practices, and offers technical support towards implementation of policy and programmes on TB and HIV/AIDS, aiming to ending discrimination, strengthening prevention with a focus on early detection and treatment of workers living with HIV and TB under its voluntary counselling and testing for workers, the VCT@WORK Initiative.

Stakeholders:

• Ministry of Labour and Employment;
• Central TB Division and National AIDS Control Organisation,
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Employers' Organizations;
• Workers' Organizations;
• Civil society including organizations of people living with HIV,
• Enterprises in public and private sector,
• Development partners including USAID, UNAIDS and WHO.
• Target Beneficiaries
• Workers in the formal and informal sectors, trade unions, employers' organizations, public and private sector enterprises.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. S. M. Baqar
ILO DWT for South Asia and Country Office for India
Phone: 91- 11-47509227
Email: [email protected]