Small and Medium Enterprises and 15 business associations in Vietnam have been mobilized to work with HIV/AIDS in the workplace by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), which implements the sub-component “HIV/AIDS at the workplace” under the Danida funded Business Sector Support Program (BSPS).
The 23 enterprises and business associations have signed a memorandum of understanding with VCCI agreeing to form AIDS Committees at the enterprises, develop and implement a HIV/AIDS policy at the workplace, and train both employees and employers on HIV/AIDS.
Danish Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Peter Lysholt Hansen, said in a special statement: “Using enterprises and business associations as a platform for public information on HIV/AIDS is highly effective. Likewise enterprises and business associations understand that protection and care and treatment are important to secure productivity in Vietnam’s booming private sector. Measures to protect the labor force will also in the future be a key to Vietnam’s increased productivity and sustained growth”.
Pham Thi Hong Thai, the chairman of Nghe An Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said on behalf of the 3,000 member enterprises: “As a business association, we recognize that HIV/AIDS can become very dangerous for the society and that it is not only a responsibility of the government to fight the disease. Everybody including business associations must take part”.
For more information, please visit www.ambhanoi.um.dk
