Published by the government of Zimbabwe
25 August 2005
Harare — THE HIV/Aids pandemic has negatively impacted on the country's productivity as most workers are dying during their prime time years, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said Aids-related deaths have drastically reduced the country's workforce.
"Aids deaths lead directly to a reduction in the number of available workers.
"These deaths occur predominantly during the prime time years and most productive phases of their lives," he said in a speech read on his behalf by the provincial medical director for Mashonaland West Dr Wenceslas Nyamayaro, at the launch of the HIV/Aids programme at Seed Co in Stapleford, Harare.
He said the pandemic has greatly affected businesses in that productivity decreases due to inexperienced workforce, the cost of production increases.
"Very often, less-experienced workers will take over and this as you know will have a negative impact on productivity and competitiveness," he said.
"HIV/Aids results in worry and anxiety, which results in low morale at the workplace and consequently low productivity."
Dr Parirenyatwa applauded Seed Co for embarking on the workplace HIV/Aids strategy, at a time when the country's workforce was at high risk.
He also thanked the peer educators for their commitment to raise awareness in the public and private sector saying it will allow Seed Co a unique opportunity to confront societal discrimination and stigma.
"You have the blessing of the Government through the ministry and institutions through which resources are channelled to needy communities.
"This programme will reassure employees that they will not be discriminated against and that they will not loose their jobs," he said.
Seed Co managing director, Mr Dennis Zaranyika said the workshop was conducted after the realisation that HIV/Aids had tremendous effects on the general workplace morale, productivity and growth of a company.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2005 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
