The

VCT@WORKInitiative

Dr. Indira Hettiarachchi NPC ILO

VCT@WORK

- delines

- UNAIDS

Alice OuedraogoInternational Labour Office, Geneva24 July 2014, AIDS 2014, Melbourne

The

VCT@WORKInitiative

Dr. Indira Hettiarachchi NPC ILO

The VCT@WORK initiative

Half of people living with HIV do not know their HIV status.

- UNAIDS

Only 34% of the total 28.3 million people in low and middle countries are accessing treatment (ART)

- WHO 2013 Treatment Guidelines

The

VCT@WORKInitiative

Dr. Indira Hettiarachchi NPC ILO

The VCT@WORK initiative

To reach 5 million women and men workers with Voluntary and Confidential HIV Counselling and

Testing by 2015

Builds on the Getting to Zero at Work Campaign

www.ilo.org/zero

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrU2ntJtc4U

“If workplaces embrace this new initiative it could signify one of the most important advances we’ve seen in expanding access to HIV testing within a healthy, enabling environment and linking to on-

going support including treatment”

Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director

Protect Human Rights at Work, Prevent HIV

“To reach these goals, we need to work together to ensure that all workplaces are

free from stigma and discrimination”

Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General

Key principles

• Consent

• Confidentiality

• Counselling

• Connection to treatment

• Equity and gender equality

• Meaningful engagement of people living with HIV

• Focus on workplaces that already have programmes.• Focus on high prevalence areas and key economic sectors.• Mapping of VCT providers and ART Centres.• Partnerships with providers, following national protocols.• Partnerships ( National AIDS programmes, Labour

Ministries., private sector, unions, PLHIV networks).• Communication and Advocacy.• Capacity building.• Resource mobilization. • Strengthening Monitoring and Evaluation System

Strategy

1,019,329

Protect Human Rights at Work, Prevent HIV

VCT@WORK - after 1 year

BeninBurkina FasoCamerounGhana KenyaLesotho MozambiqueNigeriaSouth AfricaSwazilandTanzaniaTogoZambiaZimbabwe

India

Indonesia

Sri Lanka

Tajikistan

Thailand

Workers reached 1, 019,329 (63% M, 37% F) workers tested 191,220 (67% M, 33% F)

• Linking with National AIDS plans/ national Initiatives helps.• Testing under the wellness approach has the potential.• VCT works best when it builds on an existing workplace

programme.• Trade unions have the capacity to mobilize.• Inclusions of HIV testing in large scale workers event ( e.g. VCT

at OSH year 2013 Award Ceremony in Nigeria).• Offering HIV testing within a broader package of health

services is appealing to workers.• Inclusion voluntary testing in annual medial exams is effective

Lessons: What Works

• It is difficult to track workplace testing results in national reporting systems

• It is also difficult to track results between workplaces and VCT centers

• VCT service providers ( government and non-government provider) are not always able or willing to meet large demand

• Migrant and informal economy workers remain a challenge

• Strengthening partnerships with other world of work actors with national AIDS Programmes.

VCT@WORK: Challenges

• All pieces are in place…time to accelerate• Expand to more countries.• Expand partnership with National AIDS Programmes to

increase the coverage and get numbers under the national M&E.

• Mobilize funds.

Next Steps

Together we can make it happen!

Thank You

Protect Human Rights at Work, Prevent HIV