HIV/AIDS Campaign at Hindustan Construction Company LTD
HIV/AIDS Campaign at Hindustan Construction Company LTD
Campaign on HIV/AIDS
Raising awareness for HIV / AIDS through prevention programmes among the workers is one of such initiatives that will help us evolve into a truly “Responsible Corporate”.
HIVAIDS pandemic is a human tragedy of epic proportions. Millions of people are now living with HIV AIDS and the disease continues to grow rapidly worldwide. A global health epidemic of this scale has a devastating impact on all sectors of economy. There is a significant economic impact of HIV AIDS on businesses and economies that can only be ignored at its own peril. HIV AIDS imposes a day to day economic ‘tax’ that compromises business productivity. This represents sufficient motivation in itself, but HCC firmly believes that responding to HIV AIDS is a moral necessity that goes beyond Corporate Social Responsibility.
To combat this pandemic, HCC, in collaboration with FXB –a French NGO has taken initiative to establish a conducive environment at the workplace for disseminating knowledge and awareness.
Goal:
To develop and implement sustainable HIV/AIDS prevention and care and support programme in HCC, reaching out to total workforce.
Target groups:
The programme would include employees of HCC, their family members and nearby communities including the suppliers, subcontractors, truck drivers, JV’s partners etc.
Objective:
1. To institutionalize HIV/AIDS programme in the workplace
2. To setup a nodal committee & develop corporate policy on HIV/AIDS.
3. To provide HIV/AIDS education to employees and facilitate service utilization for VCTC/condom/STI/PPTCT
4. To provide care and support to HCC employees
5. To conduct monitoring and evaluation of the programme.
Campaign on HIV/AIDS in HCC: Launch & Pilot Phase
The Workplace Intervention Programme (WPI) was launched in March 2004 at the head office, by the CMD, Mr.Ajit Gulabchand. The campaign has begun with HO and IIIA Water Supply Project (WSP).
IIIA Water Supply Project (WSP) at Mumbai was taken up as the pilot project, which included four sites at Malad, Charkop, Bhandup and Liberty garden.
Structure of WPI
v Base Line Survey
v Mass Awareness
v Counselling Sessions
v Establishment of IEC/Condom Banks
v Peer Training Programme
v Voluntary Counselling & Testing for Workers
v Post Base Line Survey
Lessons:
The impact of the programme at IIIA WSP was very encouraging. The awareness level and knowledge level regarding HIV/AIDS has increased substantially. The campaign had a very positive response from all the employees at IIIA WSP and also at the HO.
Campaign on HIV/AIDS in HCC: Expansion
Based on the lessons learnt and rich experience from IIIA WSP, HCC decided to expand the programme at seven more projects all over India. They are as follows:
1. Allahabad Bypass Project (UP)
2. Kudankulum Atomic Power Project C3 (Tamil Nadu),
3. Kudankulum Atomic Power Project C6 (Tamil Nadu)
4. Munger Railway Bridge project (Bihar)
5. Bandra Worli Sea link project (Mumbai)
6. Rajasthan Atomic Power Project –5 (Rajas than)
7. Rajasthan Atomic Power Project -6(Rajas than)
Other Initiatives
· E- newsletter HCC: HIV/AIDS Watch
-Fortnightly issue, short with hyperlinks to global websites
-14 issues released so far
· Working out collaboration with UNICEF, NACO (National AIDS Control Organization), WHO, UNAIDS and GBC (Global Business Coalition).
· World AIDS Day observed at HO and all the project sites
· Workshop held with ILO/MDACS for formulation of Policy on HIV/AIDS
· Release of posters, badge, key chains & folders on HIV/AIDS.
Future Steps:
· Formulation of Corporate policy on HIV/AIDS
· Training of trainers with ILO/MDACS
· Help and support Kingdom of Bhutan in initiation of a campaign for awareness and education of HIV/AIDS in whole of the country.
Contact persons for HIV/AIDS Programme:
1.Mr.Anil K.Sinha
Vice-President (Corporate Affairs)
Hindustan Construction Company Ltd.
Hincon House, LBS Marg, Vikhroli (W)
Mumbai-400 083
Tel:022-25775959,Ext-5545
Dir-022-25715545, Mob-91-9820021055
2. Ms.Shikha Shabdita
Officer (Corporate Affairs)
Hindustan Construction Company Ltd.
Hincon House, LBS Marg, Vikhroli (W)
Mumbai-400 083
Tel: 022-25715557
Mob-91-9820162073