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| Sunday, 24 November 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Business and HIV/AIDS Biz Buzz by IRIS & AVED Published statistics on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Sri Lanka estimate only 8,700 infected persons. Those who are infected, due to various taboos, live under a cloak of secrecy and many experts consider the estimate well below the actual prevalent figure. The result is a dangerous complacency which would cause a huge epidemic that can destroy the economy and society in Sri Lanka. Twenty years ago, South Africa and Botswana, India and China had less people infected than the number of HIV carriers in Sri Lanka at present. Today, 20 per cent of the adult population in South Africa is infected. South African elder statesman, Nelson Mandela has said that AIDS is a war against humanity which requires total mobilisation of the entire population. In Botswana, 39 per cent of the adult population is infected. India has four million and China has one million people with HIV/AIDS. Sri Lanka is projected to have 80,000 infected individuals by 2005 according to the UNDP, unless effective intervention projects are launched. What do these numbers translate into the life of people and in the conduct of business? Human suffering over several years when the infection develops into full blown AIDS, loss of income and untold hardship to families of patients, fear and death itself is part of the score on the human side. Loss of skilled workers, damage to productivity, additional cost on health care and insurance, and a burden on the national budget are some of the adverse impacts on the economy. The stigma attached to the disease is perhaps the most painful part of the early stages of it. While advanced economies have educated their societies not to discriminate against HIV/AIDS victims, Sri Lanka and many other developing countries have a woefully long way to go to accept HIV/AIDS carriers and sufferers into society. Business organisations will take time to realise that HIV/AIDS in Sri Lanka is a real threat and a time bomb, that can explode and devastate business unless early steps are taken to control the spread of infection. To combat the potential epidemic, its malady should be understood. In its early stages, the infection spreads into localised high risk groups and is not noticed or paid much attention to elsewhere. The long period of HIV infection prior to developing symptoms of AIDS exposes many others, in particular sexual partners, intravenous drug users and recipients of blood to the disease. HIV testing prior to transfusion is also not foolproof because of the three to four (sometimes longer) months taken for a blood sample to have antibodies to HIV and show up on a laboratory test. The stage Sri Lanka should protect itself from is the point at which the infection breaks loose from the localised group to the general population. If that can be achieved as a country, Sri Lanka can be saved. What can be done? According to UNAIDS, business can play a key role in stopping the spread of AIDS. Workplace education, especially at garment and other factories, the development of non-discriminatory policies and the provision of care for infected workers are some of the steps private sector enterprises irrespective of their size, could take. Trade Chambers, employee organisations and trade associations should launch projects to promote among their members, activities to fight AIDS. Mr Nihal Seneratne, an AIDS activist was recently appointed to chair the subcommittee on HIV/AIDS at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. He argued that domestic legal barriers obstructing access to anti-retrovirals should be removed. Generic drugs manufactured by CIPLA of India will cost no more than US$ 350 per annum. Inclusive of testing per patient, annual cost is a somewhat affordable US$ 500. UNAIDS contends that treatment and care to patients is often cheaper than the overall cost of AIDS to businesses. Training technicians to operate idle equipment (some have been traced at at least one university) by virologists is an initiative that the Government could undertake at minimum cost. Making a budget allocation to purchase and distribute drugs cannot be postponed too far. Access to treatment not only extends life expectancy of infected persons, but draws them into the health care scheme, promotes more responsible behaviour and prevents the spread of the disease. The prognosis for Sri Lanka would be much worse when travel between the State of Tamil Nadu, with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and Sri Lanka's Northern capital, Jaffna increases. The former US President, Bill Clinton, speaking on the epidemic has said: "Last year, we had 40 million AIDS cases, resulting in 8,500 people dying each day leaving 13 million orphans in 2001, which figure is expected to increase to 25 million in 2010. It is predicted that there will be 100 million AIDS cases by 2005 which will certainly dwarf the Black Death (the Bubonic Plague) of the 14th century unless governments and civil society the world over take concerted action to halt the march of this dreaded disease". |
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