Govt workers to get free ARVs
Apr 10, 2005
THE Government is to provide free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to all public servants and their immediate family members, state minister for economic monitoring Omwony Ojwok has said.
By Charles Kakamwa
THE Government is to provide free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to all public servants and their immediate family members, state minister for economic monitoring Omwony Ojwok has said.
He said this at a three-day retreat for Line Ministries Self Coordinating Entity (LMSCE) organised by the President’s Office at Paradise Hotel in Jinja on Wednesday.
Ojwok said about 10,000 out of the estimated 230,000 public servants needed the drugs.
He said a survey by the public service ministry in 2000 showed that between 1995 and 1999, about 3.4% of public officers were suspected to have died of HIV/AIDS.
He said the scourge had led to loss of skilled manpower, increased recruitment and training costs.
He said the scourge had also increased health care expenditure, adding that it undermined the ability of the public service to perform.
Thecla Kinalwa, the permanent secretary, Office of the President, said LMSCE had drafted an HIV/AIDS policy aimed at mitigating effects of the scourge among public servants.
She challenged LMSCE officials to play a role in the coordination of HIV/AIDS issues instead of leaving the work to NGOs and the civil society. Present was Kagole Kivumbi, the director of information in the Office of the President.
Ends
THE Government is to provide free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to all public servants and their immediate family members, state minister for economic monitoring Omwony Ojwok has said.
He said this at a three-day retreat for Line Ministries Self Coordinating Entity (LMSCE) organised by the President’s Office at Paradise Hotel in Jinja on Wednesday.
Ojwok said about 10,000 out of the estimated 230,000 public servants needed the drugs.
He said a survey by the public service ministry in 2000 showed that between 1995 and 1999, about 3.4% of public officers were suspected to have died of HIV/AIDS.
He said the scourge had led to loss of skilled manpower, increased recruitment and training costs.
He said the scourge had also increased health care expenditure, adding that it undermined the ability of the public service to perform.
Thecla Kinalwa, the permanent secretary, Office of the President, said LMSCE had drafted an HIV/AIDS policy aimed at mitigating effects of the scourge among public servants.
She challenged LMSCE officials to play a role in the coordination of HIV/AIDS issues instead of leaving the work to NGOs and the civil society. Present was Kagole Kivumbi, the director of information in the Office of the President.
Ends