In response to media enquiries we wish to clarify issues relating
to research commissioned by government on HIV/AIDS and other life
threatening diseases.
Government, as employer, engages in many kinds of studies as a guide to action. The research into the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening on the Public Service is an ongoing process to understand and keep track of trends. It is not aimed at the production of a definitive report at a specific time but at informing programmes and leveraging resources to mitigate the impact of these life-threatening diseases.
Such research is essentially secondary in that it draws whatever is available from elsewhere and extrapolates from it - hence such reports yield general directions rather than precise estimates. These broad directions inform government's programmatic response to the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases on the Public Service.
The question therefore is not so much about the estimates, which in any case would not fundamentally differ from the general population profile.
The question is what government as employer and service provider is doing to mitigate the impact.
One such study was commissioned in 2000 to inform government planners on how HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases are likely to impact on service delivery, employee health and well being. The study in question draws on existing research and projections concerning the whole population rather than engaging in primary research or conducting surveillance studies. As such it provides general guidelines to action rather than a definitive account of reality.
The report was very useful in the sense that it pointed out broad areas of impact and the preparatory work that needs to be done in mitigating this impact. It ensured that we develop the required policies, guidelines, training programmes and systems and provided impetus for a sustainable response. In addition, government wanted to engage with its social partners to ensure a common vision and a coordinated response.
The Department of Public Service and Administration has developed guidelines on integrated human resource planning in the Public Service to assist departments in conducting human resource planning as contemplated in Part IIID of Chapter 1 of the Public Service Regulations 2001. The guidelines should also assist managers in restructuring their departments and managing the human resource implications of such initiatives. Moreover, the guidelines help in mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases on the workplace by showing how HIV/AIDS is likely to affect departments and how this can be countered through effective human resource planning.
DPSA and the Department of Health have also issued a range of policy guidelines. In particular DPSA amended the Public Service Regulations in June 2002 to provide for Minimum Standards in managing HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases in the workplace. A guide that complements these regulations has also been published. Also note that the Department of Labour has published a Code of Good Practice that contains useful information on the principles to be followed in managing the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases in the workplace. All government departments are currently implementing the Minimum Standards and DPSA is proving ongoing support to the departments. A capacity audit has been commissioned to inform a plan for building the necessary capacity required to fast track the implementation of the programme.
Furthermore the amendments to the Public Service Regulations include a requirement on the Head of Department to ensure that units or employees within his/her department at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS are identified and to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk. This implies the necessity to ensure that the impact of HIV/AIDS is taken into account as part of the integrated HR planning.
Key components of the programmes of government as employer in mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases in the Public Service include:
* Awareness
* Employee Assistance Programmes
* Occupational Health Measures
* Counselling in the workplace
* Restructuring of the medical benefits scheme
Government, like any other employer, does have a responsibility not only to ensure that it mitigates the impact of HIV and AIDS within the workplace, but also to handle matters pertaining to employees with a measure of sensitivity. For this reason, and given that the report extrapolates from data that is in the public domain, publishing this report will not take us any further. Besides, most such data and relevant projections need to be informed by assumptions pertaining to impact of the Awareness Campaign as well as that of the Comprehensive Treatment Programme and the fact that most public servants belong to Medical Aid Schemes which provide relevant treatment packages. Such assumptions have not as yet been fully developed and incorporated in the studies conducted thus far.
For all these reasons, government wishes to discourage tendencies in some media to sensationalise an issue that needs to be dealt with, with a measure of rationality and maturity.
Government, as employer, engages in many kinds of studies as a guide to action. The research into the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening on the Public Service is an ongoing process to understand and keep track of trends. It is not aimed at the production of a definitive report at a specific time but at informing programmes and leveraging resources to mitigate the impact of these life-threatening diseases.
Such research is essentially secondary in that it draws whatever is available from elsewhere and extrapolates from it - hence such reports yield general directions rather than precise estimates. These broad directions inform government's programmatic response to the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases on the Public Service.
The question therefore is not so much about the estimates, which in any case would not fundamentally differ from the general population profile.
The question is what government as employer and service provider is doing to mitigate the impact.
One such study was commissioned in 2000 to inform government planners on how HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases are likely to impact on service delivery, employee health and well being. The study in question draws on existing research and projections concerning the whole population rather than engaging in primary research or conducting surveillance studies. As such it provides general guidelines to action rather than a definitive account of reality.
The report was very useful in the sense that it pointed out broad areas of impact and the preparatory work that needs to be done in mitigating this impact. It ensured that we develop the required policies, guidelines, training programmes and systems and provided impetus for a sustainable response. In addition, government wanted to engage with its social partners to ensure a common vision and a coordinated response.
The Department of Public Service and Administration has developed guidelines on integrated human resource planning in the Public Service to assist departments in conducting human resource planning as contemplated in Part IIID of Chapter 1 of the Public Service Regulations 2001. The guidelines should also assist managers in restructuring their departments and managing the human resource implications of such initiatives. Moreover, the guidelines help in mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases on the workplace by showing how HIV/AIDS is likely to affect departments and how this can be countered through effective human resource planning.
DPSA and the Department of Health have also issued a range of policy guidelines. In particular DPSA amended the Public Service Regulations in June 2002 to provide for Minimum Standards in managing HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases in the workplace. A guide that complements these regulations has also been published. Also note that the Department of Labour has published a Code of Good Practice that contains useful information on the principles to be followed in managing the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases in the workplace. All government departments are currently implementing the Minimum Standards and DPSA is proving ongoing support to the departments. A capacity audit has been commissioned to inform a plan for building the necessary capacity required to fast track the implementation of the programme.
Furthermore the amendments to the Public Service Regulations include a requirement on the Head of Department to ensure that units or employees within his/her department at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS are identified and to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk. This implies the necessity to ensure that the impact of HIV/AIDS is taken into account as part of the integrated HR planning.
Key components of the programmes of government as employer in mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS and other life threatening diseases in the Public Service include:
* Awareness
* Employee Assistance Programmes
* Occupational Health Measures
* Counselling in the workplace
* Restructuring of the medical benefits scheme
Government, like any other employer, does have a responsibility not only to ensure that it mitigates the impact of HIV and AIDS within the workplace, but also to handle matters pertaining to employees with a measure of sensitivity. For this reason, and given that the report extrapolates from data that is in the public domain, publishing this report will not take us any further. Besides, most such data and relevant projections need to be informed by assumptions pertaining to impact of the Awareness Campaign as well as that of the Comprehensive Treatment Programme and the fact that most public servants belong to Medical Aid Schemes which provide relevant treatment packages. Such assumptions have not as yet been fully developed and incorporated in the studies conducted thus far.
For all these reasons, government wishes to discourage tendencies in some media to sensationalise an issue that needs to be dealt with, with a measure of rationality and maturity.
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