K'taka police saviours for stigma-hit AIDS victims

Bangalore, Apr 22: The Karnataka police has taken the lead in the fight against the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS and consequent ill-treatment meted out to the victims by introducing 'HIV/AIDS' Workplace Policy', which provided for the personnel affected with the dreaded disease to be treated on par with any other employee.

The policy, the first of its kind by any State police, envisaged equal treatment for employees affected with AIDS while in service, provided legal right to maintain secrecy of their ailment and extended treatment, according to the policy made available to UNI.

Under the new policy, the life threatening disease would not constitute an exclusion criterion for any position or post in the force and recruitment would be based only on the candidate's fitness and ability to do the job. Hence, those afflicted with the disease need not hesitate to apply for a job in the police force. However, prospective employees would be required to undergo the routine medical check up to determine the candidate's fitness, but it would not include an HIV test.

Hailing the policy as a ''path breaking effort'', Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police K R Srinivasan, launching the policy here recently, appreciated the spirit of collaboration between the police department and the institutions working on strengthening the efforts to prevent and control the spread of HIV.

The guiding principles of the policy include employees affected with AIDS have the same rights and obligations as other staff members, they should be protected against all forms of unfair discrimination based on their HIV status and minimising the possibility of HIV infection and transmission among staff members and their families.

UNI