From the Chief Mentor’s Desk:

Less then a decade back, companies would not associate their names with HIV/AIDS – that has changed now. The corporate involvement is starting to increase, and there has been a better understanding amongst companies on how to deal with this subject.

We witnessed this increasing involvement & interest at a recent workshop organised by CII on ‘Dealing with HIV/AIDS -The Challenge Ahead for Business’. HR, CSR & medical representatives from many companies deliberated on issues ranging from HIV/AIDS policy, HIV/AIDS bill; care & support of positive employees and Health Insurance, etc.

It is good to see the individual companies getting more engaged in creating HIV/AIDS awareness at workplace, employees’ families and in few cases even reaching to the suppliers, contractors, truckers and communities around their facilities. Some of them have started providing diagnostic as well as treatment facilities.

At present it will not be wrong to say that we have a very real chance that things don’t get out of control and we have a good opportunity to mitigate the epidemic.