PRESENTERS at a workshop put on by the Jamaica Employers Federation Tuesday suggested that local businesses look at condom distribution and the use of condom vending machines in the workplace, to help stem the spread of HIV/AIDS in the island.

“Company leadership can help in the distribution of condoms, providing voluntary counseling, testing and access to care and treatment. This sends a strong message to government and other sectors,” said Dr Carol Jacobs, chairman of the National HIV/AIDS Commission in Barbados and main presenter at the workshop.

“Businesses not only have a responsibility to act but an opportunity to play a crucial role in the global fight against the epidemic, particularly in their own workplace,” she added.

Her suggestion, she said, was taken from international businessman, Richard Holbrook, CEO of Global Business Coalition on AIDS.

“I am not suggesting that you leave them on people’s desk but you could at least have them available so you can protect your employee from getting this disease,” Dr Jacobs urged.

The Ministry of Health’s HIV programme manager, Faith Hamer, said there is an existing proposal to use vending machines to increase employee access to condoms, sanitary napkins, pills and similar items.

“The suggestion is in its early stages but we are looking at the vending machines as a way to distribute condoms so that anyone can have access. I am not sure how feasible it is but we are looking at it,” she said.

Her comment was welcomed by JEF executive director, Jacqueline Coke-Lloyd, who recommended that the system be used by companies with large workforces.

” If they introduced it, maybe they would be able to boost prevention and lower their costs, as people will be able to buy the condoms from the machine,” said Coke-Lloyd.

She said her organisation would look at assisting the health ministry with importing the machines.

The overall aim of Tuesday’s workshop was to look at the need for HIV/AIDS policies in the workplace.

Jacobs maintained that such a policy would clearly outline the position and practices of the company in dealing with employees living with the disease.

“The policy sets standards of behaviour expected of all employees, informs employees where to go for help and instructs supervisors on how to address HIV in the work place,” she said. The AIDS epidemic is the leading cause of death among Jamaicans in their 20s and 30s and infants who are infected by their mothers. Two years ago, 30,000 Caribbean residents died from the disease and there are now about 480,000 persons living with the disease in the region.

“Our statistics show that our people have the education but they have not achieved behaviour change,” said Jacobs.

She argued that there needed to be more AIDS awareness education in the workplace, starting with CEOs and managers. In Barbados, she said, her organisation did not support mandatory HIV testing for employees because sometimes the information was used to discriminate against them.

“In Barbados, the employer shall not require employees to be tested or produce evidence of recent testing for HIV or any other life-threatening illness as a requirement for continued employment,” she said. “If we are honest, some employers will argue that we don’t want ‘these people’ in our workplace. That is why we want to know if the person has AIDS. But suppose it was you, how would you feel if you had it and were not allowed to work when you were capable?”

During the workshop, which drew participants from a cross-section of Jamaican companies, there were discussions on a wide range of issues concerning AIDS and the workplace, including confidentiality, termination of employment and health benefits.

JEF president, Herbert Lewis said that HIV, which was posing a serious problem in the Jamaican workplace, was high on the list of priority issues that his organisation was trying to address.