To mobilise and support companies to implement HIV/AIDS training programmes for their staff and develop a HIV/AIDS workplace policy, ‘Connect,’ a public-private partnership (PPP) project was inaugurated by Health Minister Ashok on Tuesday.
Connect is an initiative of Population Services International, an NGO, supported by funding from United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The five-year project will focus on Karnataka and Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Partners
USAID has provided Rs 5 crores for this project. The other partners include Federation of India Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Y R Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRGCARE), Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) and International Labour Organisation.
The importance of HIV/AIDS should be emphasized at the workplace as it affects the most productive age group - 15 years to 49 years, said Programme Director PSI, Sanjay Chaganti.
The infection leads to decreased productivity and increased cost for the company.
The priority this year for Connect is Bangalore Urban/Rural, Bellary and Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka as the prevalence is high, said Mr Sanjay.
The targets are those who work in plantations, mines, sugar and garment industries, construction workers, transportation, steel workers as 93 per cent of the workforce belong to the unorganised sector, he explained.
Connect was implemented six months ago and has enrolled 38 companies in both states to date. They have leveraged Rs 40 lakh from the private sector so far. In the future they plan to mobilise more companies, identify most at risk industries, include programmes on TB in workplace, support the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society, work with insurance sector to support HIV+ individuals.

PROJECT’S HIGHLIGHTS

Train the senior management first (two-hour programme costing between Rs 500 to Rs 6,000 depending on number)
Tailor-made programmes to train staff-general and medical staff
Form links between companies and NGOs, Government facilities (like testing centres)
Design and implement HIV/AIDS workplace policy
Motivate the company to provide HIV/AIDS infected employees treatment