HIV/Aids Workers Mobilise Against Stigmatisation

Hundreds of workers from the public and private sectors in the capital city and its environs undertook a 6-km walk from the May 20 Avenue to the Mvog-Mbi Roundabout and back, on Friday, April 18, to show solidarity with fellow workers living with HIV/AIDS, highlighting their indignation at their persistent stigmatisation in work places.

The walk was organised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, ILO, Sub-regional Office in Yaounde, to kick-start activities to mark the 128th International Labour Day on May 1, 2014 on the theme, "Workers of Cameroon, together let's fight HIV/AIDS."

"The stigmatisation of HIV/AIDS patients in work places is still a problem. Through this march, we are sensitising the public so that stigmatisation should end," the Inspector General in the Labour Ministry, John Yewoh Forchu, told Cameroon Tribune at the end of the walk that ended with keep-fit exercises. The event also featured free, voluntary and confidential screening for HIV which marked the launch of the initiative VCT@Work (Voluntary Counselling and Testing).

"The global objective fixed by the ILO and the World Health Organisation is five million workers screened for HIV between now and 2015. Cameroon targets between 30,000 and 35,000 screened workers by 2015. During this Labour Week, we intend to screen at least 3,000 workers," John Yewoh Forchu disclosed.

As workers shuffled through the registration, HIV screening, counselling, sample collection and results collection tables, the Chief of Access to Treatment Unit at the National AIDS Control Committee, Dr. Kob Same David told CT that he was impressed by the massive turnout, adding that his team will move to the heart of the city later to reach more people.