un hiv/aids personnel policy background un hiv/aids personnel policy was approved by the executive...

UN HIV/AIDSPERSONNEL POLICY

Background

• UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy was approved by the Executive Heads of all UN organizations, through the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), in April 1991

• All organizations within the UN system are bound by this policy

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UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

Objectives

• Upon completion of this briefing, participants/readers will be able to describe the main elements of UN’s personnel policy regarding HIV/AIDS


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Main Topics

• Information and education

• Preventive health measures

• Testing, counselling and confidentiality

• Terms of appointment and service

• Health insurance benefits

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Information and Education - 1

• All UNDP SMs and their families should be provided with sufficient, up-dated information to enable them:– to protect themselves from HIV infection– to cope with the presence of AIDS

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• Offices should:– have a continuous awareness programme on

HIV/AIDS for all staff and their families– brief staff on the UN policy on HIV/AIDS in

the workplace– brief staff on their entitlements/benefits

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• All SMs should receive a copy of and be briefed on the booklet “AIDS and HIV infections. Information for United Nations Employees and Their Families”

• The booklet may be accessed from the HIV/AIDS site under OHR intranet or http://intra.undp.org/ohr/hiv_aids/

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• Up-to-date lists of – resource materials kept

in the office

– websites providing information, guidance and support

are always available to all

SMs who are encouraged to

share them with their

families

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Safe Blood and Plasma Expanders - 1

• All UNDP SMs and their families should have access to HIV-tested blood and plasma expanders

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• Blood transfusions are not needed in most cases. Only individuals with severe blood disorders (such as hemophilia) might need blood transfusions

• Synthetic macro-molecule solutions (plasma expanders), are safe and available in every country and should be used by most people instead of blood transfusions

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• An up-to-date list of

local sites where HIV-

tested blood and plasma

expanders may be

obtained, is always

available to all SMs who

are encouraged to share

it with their families

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Motor Vehicle Accidents - 1

• Motor Vehicle accidents should be reduced and the following measures continuously enforced– fitting and compulsory use of seat belts in all UNDP

vehicles– provision of and compulsory use of helmets for all

riders of UNDP motorbikes– prohibition against alcohol and drug abuse by vehicle

drivers– organization of training in on- and off- road use of

four-wheel drive vehicles by all drivers

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Motor Vehicle Accidents - 2

– organization of basic first-aid training sessions

– equipping UNDP vehicles with first aid kits

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Condoms

• All UNDP SMs and their families should have access to condoms– In duty stations (DSs) where there is no reliable

and consistent supply of good quality latex condoms (female and male) the office will make them available in a simple and discreet manner

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Syringes and Needles - 1

All UNDP SMs and their families should have access to disposable syringes and needles

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Syringes and Needles - 2

When travelling to locations where there is no guarantee of the proper sterilization of disposable syringes and needles, the office will provide SMs with such materials

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Testing – 1

• All UNDP SMs and their families should have access to confidential and voluntary HIV testing with adequate pre- and pro-test counselling

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Testing – 2

• UN/UNDP health insurance schemes cover HIV testing at the normal 80 per cent reimbursement rate for two voluntary tests per year for the SM and each eligible family member

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Testing - 3

• An up-to-date list of

local confidential HIV

testing sites is always

available to all SMs

who are encouraged to

share it with their

families

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Testing - 4

• UN/UNDP does not

require HIV testing for

– employment

– enrolment in:

• the Pension Fund

• any of the UN/UNDP

health insurance schemes

• the Aetna Group Life

Insurance Plan

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x

Contractual Status - 1

• A SM’s contractual status in the Organization will NOT be prejudiced by virtue of the fact that he/she is HIV positive or has AIDS

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• A SM with HIV/AIDS should continue in service for as long as he/she chooses or is able to

• UNDP will endeavour to utilize his/her full capacity to perform duties which are within his/her capabilities

• In determining a SM’s capacity for work, the UN Medical Director will be consulted

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• If, for reasons of health, a SM’s fitness for work is impaired by a health condition (HIV/AIDS or otherwise), reasonable alternative working arrangements will be explored taking into consideration the exigencies of the service and the capacity of the SM, including the possibilities under the Flexible Work/Life policy

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• A SM with HIV/AIDS will be treated in the same manner as any other SM when being considered for:– reassignment– extension of contract– promotion or – other entitlements/benefits

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Reassignment - 1

• When a SM has informed the UN Medical Service of his/her HIV positive status, the UN Medical Director:– will not clear him/her for assignment to countries with

certain live vaccine requirements, poor health care facilities, poor sanitation or high risk of infectious diseases because of the substantially increased risk to his/her health

– will advise UNDP of the DSs to which the SM may be assigned to, and the SM will be informed of the DSs to which he/she may apply for

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Reassignment - 2

• Staff who are aware of their HIV positive status and who have not informed the UN Medical Service of this fact are cautioned not to apply for assignments to countries which would pose risks to their health

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Informing Status - 1

• SMs with HIV/AIDS are not obliged to

inform UNDP or any of his/her colleagues

of his/her status

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Informing Status - 2

• However, there are situations under which a SM is encouraged to reveal his/her status, e.g.:– Travel/reassignment to countries:

• Requiring live vaccination against certain diseases

• With prevalent infectious diseases, poor sanitation or poor health care facilities

– Performance decline - permitting the Organization to provide support and make alternative work arrangements which are within the SM’s capacity

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Travel – 1

• When a SM has informed the UN Medical Service of his/her HIV positive status, the UN Medical Director:– will not clear him/her for travel to

countries/locations with certain live vaccine requirements, poor health care facilities, poor sanitation or high risk of infectious diseases because of the substantially increased risk to his/her health

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Travel - 2

• Staff who are aware of their HIV positive status and who have not informed the UN Medical Service of this fact are cautioned to consult their personal physician before travelling to countries/locations which would pose risks to their health

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Travel - 3

• Offices will provide SMs with safety precautions including advice on travel kits for HIV prevention

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Working Environment

• Offices must create a stable and supportive work environment for SMs who are affected by HIV/AIDS either because :– they are infected– their family members are infected and/or– they are working with persons who are infected

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Stigmatization, Harassment, Discrimination

• SMs with HIV/AIDS may NOT be subject to any form of– stigmatization– harassment– discrimination

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Confidentiality

• Confidentiality within the UNDP workplace must be maintained at all times– All SMs must strictly adhere to the procedures

on confidentiality

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Medical Records

• Medical records of SMs are the exclusive domain of the UN Medical Service

• Besides the UN Medical Service, absolutely no other individual (including HR staff) is authorized to review or discuss the medical records of SMs

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Health Insurance - 1

• Premiums of HIV positive SMs are no different than those of other SMs

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Health Insurance - 2

• Coverage of HIV positive SMs is no different than those of other SMs

• All UN/UNDP health insurance schemes cover HIV treatment and drugs as any other disease, within the limitations of the applicable scheme

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Any Questions?

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Thank You

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un hiv/aids personnel policy background un hiv/aids personnel policy was approved by the executive...

Documents

hivaids personnel policy

hivaids site

safe blood

undp sms

hivtested blood

hiv tested blood

dated information

main topics information