NAIROBI, KENYA – HIV positive public sector employees have newfound rights and access to treatment in the workplace here. A new policy, which went into effect in October, not only guarantees that HIV positive employees won’t be fired on the basis of their status, but also makes antiretroviral medication, ARVs, and food supplements available to them at work in an attempt to reduce stigma and increase productivity.
When Dalmas Otieno, public service minister, announced that Kenya’s public sector would become more tolerant of the needs of its HIV positive workers, some say they were sceptical of the plan. But for the last two months, HIV positive employees have been able to obtain ARVs and food supplements in government ministries throughout Kenya. The Public Sector Workplace Policy on HIV and AIDS has been hailed as significant step in ensuring that Kenyans who work in the public sector have access to prevention, care and support services.
The policy is also intended to decrease the stigma attached to the disease in Kenya. Despite the fact that AIDS has been prevalent here for more than two decades, stigma remains high, which leads to a refusal to disclose status or even get tested.
For one City Hall employee, who is receiving the new benefits, the decision to disclose his status at work was difficult. He says he still regrets his decision to come forward and asked not to be named for fear of further stigmatization. He says the new policy, while well intentioned may not encourage people to disclose their status. “Public employees who have not revealed their HIV status will not be included in the counselling and treatment programs,” he says, but adds that it may not make a difference. He is one of the 500 public sector employees who disclosed his status at work. “People do not publicly admit their status out of fear that they might be discriminated against by their colleagues,” he says.
Dr. Robert Ayisi, medical officer of health in Nairobi, who announced the policy, says, “The critical thing is that Kenyans need to know their HIV status. You cannot be put on treatment unless we know your status.”
As the public sector pushes employees to get tested and disclose their status to take advantage of the new comprehensive care policy, the plan has been well-received and actively implemented throughout the country.
Rachel Keino, public relations officer at the Ministry of Roads, says the new workplace policy is addressing the needs of their staff. She confirmed that all openly HIV positive employees are receiving ARVs and they plan to incorporate food supplements soon.
At the Ministry of Public Works, they developed a training program to explain the policy and created a resource center to provide assistance.
At the Ministry of Northern Kenya, Peninah Kihika, communications officer, says they take the fight against HIV/AIDS seriously. The new policy has been included in the performance contracts for all public servants. “The ultimate goal of this policy is to have a healthy, productive and cost effective workforce that will provide adequate and quality services to Kenyans,” she says.
Nelson Otuoma, national coordinator of the National Empowerment Network of People living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, NEPHAK, agrees. “Once people know their status, they will get treatment and that reduces man hours lost in seeking treatment at later stages,” he says.
Otuoma reviewed the policy and says he is pleased by the Government’s commitment to intensify its campaign against the spread of HIV and ensure greater benefits to public servants. In the two months since the program was implemented, he says it has run smoothly. Though he notes that food supplements are not being widely provided yet.
Otuoma says the policy should be a lesson to all businesses. He hopes the private sector will too develop and implement a workplace program to facilitate effective and appropriate responses to the prevention of HIV and AIDS for employees.
“This policy will help people avoid infection because many people do not make their status known, yet it is a fact that people have relationships in the work place,” he says.
The policy builds on the Kenya National AIDS Strategic Plan III, 2009-2013, which seeks to address both the root causes and effects of the epidemic within the public and private sectors in Kenya.
Ayisi who says the implementation and launch of the policy has so far met performance targets in the contract the public health department signed in January. The core goal for the year has been to increase the number of Kenyans who are receiving free ARV treatments. There are currently 400,000 people registered to receive ARVs nationwide. While many in the public sector suggest that the number has increased in the first two months of the program, not data is yet available. ”It is important for Kenyans to know that antiretroviral treatment is available and it is the right of every person living with HIV to access ARVs,” Ayisi says.
