About Yonge Nawe

Programmes

Resources

Press Information

Membership

Links

Search

Contact Us
 

People across the globe commemorated World AIDS Day on 1st December; the message from the day is that AIDS is an issue for everyone.  World AIDS Day is about getting involved so that everyone can make a difference in the global fight against HIV and AIDS.  World AIDS Day is now in its 17th year.

Over the past year Yonge Nawe has been working on groundbreaking research into an area which to date has received scant recognition from public authorities, businesses and the general public: the link between Environment, Occupational Safety and Health and HIV/AIDS.  This research was made possible by generous funding from the Canada Fund.

The Least Explored Link
Although a number of organisations have introduced HIV/AIDS workplace programmes, more often than not these programmes have not recognised the link between Environment, Occupational Safety and Health and HIV/AIDS.  Ignoring this relationship undermines the employers’ efforts to combat the scourge.  Efforts towards addressing the pandemic should seriously consider these issues as unhealthy work places expose can workers to HIV transmission, and can exacerbate the progression of the HIV positive worker leading to having full-blown AIDS.

Why Make The Links?
There has been a shift in the thinking that critical determinants of health and disease and their attendant solutions are the sole preserve of the health sector. It is imperative to address the underlying determinants of health if sustained health improvement is to be secured.
Against this backdrop that Yonge Nawe sought to highlight the linkages between Environment, Occupational Safety and Health and HIV/AIDS and to facilitate the formulation of comprehensive strategies to tackle the underlying factors that cause vulnerability to HIV/AIDS at the workplace.

Making The Links

• Biological Hazards (e.g. bacteria, viruses, fungi).  An HIV positive worker that contracts these agents develops a severely weakened immunity and may rapidly progress towards full-blown AIDS.
• Chemical Hazards.  Corrosive industrial chemicals can irritate or break the skin.  This increases susceptibility to contract infection.  Breathing in of toxic chemicals damages the lungs and leads to respiratory problems, furthermore exposure to some chemicals suppresses the immune system.  Such an environment may cause rapid progression of HIV.
• Physical Hazards.  There is a risk of transmission through cuts / injury by sharp or heavy objects at the workplace. This can be exacerbated by lack of laid down safety procedures or proper first aid equipment.  Physical hazards will facilitate rapid progression to AIDS as the body’s immunity reaches levels where wound healing is not possible.
• Shift Work.  Poor working conditions and lack of job security render the worker vulnerable to abnormally long hours of work, leading to fatigue.  This will undermine the body’s immunity.
• Psychological Hazards.  Work-related stress can cause depression and lead to the worker not eating well, thus weakening their immunity.  Stress accelerates production of hormones such as cortisone and mineral corticoids that also suppress the immune system.
• Ergonomic Hazards.  Injuries and accidents may occur due to use of tools that are not well designed for the job, or working in a badly designed workplace.  A break in the skin promotes disease transmission.