BGMEA adopts measure to protect workers from HIV
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Garment manufacturers and exporters have taken a programme to protect their workers from the risks of HIV/AIDS infection, reports BSS.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has already trained 66,000 of its 2.4 million (24 lakh) workers under a 'Life Skill Education' programme with UN population fund in different factories.
"The number of trained workforce on HIV is not so big compared to the total workers, but it's a good beginning," BGMEA President Anwar-ul- Alam Chowdhury said at a function in the city Sunday.
Chowdhuty said they had a plan to sensitise in phases all of their workers, many of whom are being sexually exploited and fall prey to the unprotected sex due to ignorance and emotion.
He said the public health interventions by BGMEA has already achieved the lowest rate of total fertility (TFR) at 1.7, far below the national average of 2.7 and the targeted 2.2 by 2015.
In this context, he urged the government to help BGMEA in attaining their millennium development goals (MDGs) 4, 5 and 6 on maternal and child survival as well as halting HIV.
Health Secretary AMM Nasir Uddin said prevention was the main objective of the government to improve public health status in the country.
He appreciated the BGMEA-UNFPA joint programme on HIV and said it should also include family planning components.
Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Professor MA Faiz, Line Director of National AIDS STD Programme (NASP) Dr Mohammad Ishaque Khan and Country Director of Population Council Dr AK Obaidur Rob, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Nari Unnayan Shakti and Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO (BNCU) in cooperation with UNESCO Dhaka office organised a Seminar-cum-Workshop in the city Monday on the occasion of the World AIDS Day.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has already trained 66,000 of its 2.4 million (24 lakh) workers under a 'Life Skill Education' programme with UN population fund in different factories.
"The number of trained workforce on HIV is not so big compared to the total workers, but it's a good beginning," BGMEA President Anwar-ul- Alam Chowdhury said at a function in the city Sunday.
Chowdhuty said they had a plan to sensitise in phases all of their workers, many of whom are being sexually exploited and fall prey to the unprotected sex due to ignorance and emotion.
He said the public health interventions by BGMEA has already achieved the lowest rate of total fertility (TFR) at 1.7, far below the national average of 2.7 and the targeted 2.2 by 2015.
In this context, he urged the government to help BGMEA in attaining their millennium development goals (MDGs) 4, 5 and 6 on maternal and child survival as well as halting HIV.
Health Secretary AMM Nasir Uddin said prevention was the main objective of the government to improve public health status in the country.
He appreciated the BGMEA-UNFPA joint programme on HIV and said it should also include family planning components.
Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Professor MA Faiz, Line Director of National AIDS STD Programme (NASP) Dr Mohammad Ishaque Khan and Country Director of Population Council Dr AK Obaidur Rob, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Nari Unnayan Shakti and Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO (BNCU) in cooperation with UNESCO Dhaka office organised a Seminar-cum-Workshop in the city Monday on the occasion of the World AIDS Day.