The NEWS (Monrovia)
4 September 2008
Monrovia — The Liberia Chamber of Commerce with support from the United Nations Agency for AIDS Control (UNAIDS) will next Tuesday launch an anti-HIV/AIDS initiative known and styled the "Liberia Business Coalition Against HIV/AIDS (LIBCAA)."
Mr. J. Wendell Addy, Project Coordinator of LIBCAA told the Liberia Economic Journalists Association (LEJA) at the weekend that the organization is a private sector group geared towards the fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in all places of work throughout the country.
He said following its launching, LIBCAA would encourage the involvement of both public and private sector workplace to form a partnership against the spread of HIV/AIDS and discourage discrimination of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).
He said LIBCAA would forge an innovative partnership with government and civil society organizations.
Mr. Addy further indicated that LIBCAA aims to respond to the challenges of HIV/AIDS in the workplace by mobilizing the private sector in the fight against the spread of the pandemic.
"LIBCAA seeks to transform the business response to HIV/AIDS, promote HIV prevention, care and treatment programs for the workplace," he added.
Also addressing LEJA, the Secretary General of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, M.S. Gooding noted that his organization believes that business can respond in five main ways in advocating for greater business action against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
He identified the development of HIV/AIDS policies for employees at workplace; the training of managers to conduct HIV/AIDS workshops; the education of staff and workers about basic facts about HIV/AIDS and its effect on the workplace; educate workers' families and promote community service and volunteerism in society.
For his part, Mr. David Z. Logan of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare who is also Advisor to LIBCAA noted that the initiative by the Liberia Chamber of Commerce is a worthy cause because it would help to keep the economy strong by bringing health relief to the workplace.
He noted that no nation can gain economic progress with an ailing workforce, hence the need for LIBCAA to make its presence felt.
He said there are lots of resources that LIBCAA could tap to make its vision a resounding success.
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