By Flavia Ajok
In a bid to combat HIV stigma in the workplace, the Federation of Uganda Employers has trained a team of managers and supervisors from private sector companies in the different districts of Bunyoro equipping them with the skills to create a supportive work environment for employees living with HIV.
The three-day training, held at Glory Summit Hotel in Hoima, aimed to tackle the growing issue of HIV stigma, which can lead to job loss, resignation, and even suicide.
Mustafa Fagayo, Human Resource Manager at the Federation of Uganda Employers, explained that the training aimed to equip master trainers to end HIV stigma in the workplace.
Fagayo warned that HIV stigma is escalating at an alarming rate and can have overwhelming consequences, including job loss, resignation from work and even suicide.
The training session seeks to empower employers to create a conducive work environment, free from stigma and discrimination, to support employees living with HIV and promote overall well-being.
George Tamale, a workplace health specialist for the Federation of Uganda Employers, has emphasized the need for private sector companies to combat HIV stigma in the workplace.
Tamale revealed that managers and supervisors are expected to take the lead in teaching their fellow employees to fight HIV stigma at work.
Tamale noted that people living with HIV often fail to take their medication or seek treatment due to stigma, which can hinder efforts to end AIDS by 2030.
He unveiled a workplace guide on combating stigma and discrimination associated with HIV, aimed at creating a supportive work environment.
Hellen Wobusobozi, a social worker and a councilor working with Community Led Monitoring disclosed that she has leant and understood the you equals to you equation adding that she has realized that there is no need to stigmatize people living with HIV since all of them can do the same things regardless of being positive or negative.
