11.2       Health Promotion, Prevention, Awareness and Education 

11.2.1             The MoFNP being the ministry responsible for national planning shall take a leading role in providing HIV and AIDS education. 

11.3       Health Care, Treatment and Support 

11.3.1             Although there is no cure for HIV infection, there are medical interventions and lifestyle adjustments that can prolong the life of infected employees.  Where feasible and practicable, such interventions shall be offered to employees as part of Health Care and Support. 

11.4       Condom Promotion 

11.4.1             MoFNP shall direct its efforts on HIV  prevention through the promotion of barrier methods such as provision of male and female condoms. 

11.5       Food Supplements Promotion 

11.5.1             MoFNP shall procure/acquire and distribute nutritional food supplements to employees. 

11.6       AntiRetroviral (ARVs) Treatment 

11.6.1             MoFNP shall arrange for all HIV positive employees to have access to a managed HIV and AIDS programme that includes AntiRetroviral Therapy (ART) at identified Health Centres. 

11.7       Home Based Care 

11.7.1             MoFNP shall collaborate with identified institutions that offer Home Based Care facilities for all HIV and AIDS infected and affected employees.  

11.8       Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) 

11.8.1 MoFNP shall collaborate with identified institutions that will offer PEP to employees, their spouses, children and registered dependants below the age of 18 years. 

11.9       Prevention Of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) 

11.9.1 MoFNP shall collaborate with identified institutions that offer PMTCT services to expecting employees and spouses.  

11.10 Health Scheme 

11.10.1MoFNP shall establish a health scheme for all employees, their spouses, children and registered dependants of 18 years and below to meet all their health care needs. This scheme is pivotal in the effective treatment of opportunistic infections and general wellness of staff.  

11.10.1 Health Scheme Fund 

MoFNP shall establish a health scheme fund for paying medical bills where all employees shall contribute K20,000 per month to be deducted at source (payroll).  MoFNP shall also be required to make contributions to the fund.  Deductions from the source (payroll) shall cease running in the event of an employee being separated from MoFNP.  No refunds shall be claimed upon being separated.  However, the employees, spouses, children and registered dependants below the age of 18 years shall continue accessing health care benefits from the scheme up to a period of six (6) months in the event of being separated. 

12.0   MANAGEMENT OF RISKS 

12.1   Creating and Maintaining a Safe Environment at the Work Place 

12.1.1 MoFNP shall maintain and enforce legal occupational safety precautions to minimize risk of workplace exposure to HIV and AIDS and other related illnesses.  These precautions shall include:

▪        Provisions of reasonable and clean office accommodation and environment for officers with a view to avoid contracting contagious HIV and AIDS related diseases such as TB;

▪        Ensuring that all places of public convenience are hygienically maintained.

▪        Availability of First Aid Kits and trained First Aiders

▪        Availability of First Aid Kits in vehicles; 

▪        Providing regular auditing of First Aid Kits for expired drugs and restocking; 

▪        Providing plastic or latex gloves to all drivers and cleaners; 

▪        Training in universal precautions for all current employees and any new employees. 

12.2   Responsibility of the Employer and Employees 

12.2.1     MoFNP shall be expected to comply with optimum health and safety standards at all times. 

12.2.2 Employees shall be expected to conduct themselves at all times in a responsible manner with regard to their health status and concerns of fellow employees in the MoFNP. 

12.2.1             Employees receiving AntiRetrovirals (ARVs) treatment under the HIV and AIDS programme shall be expected to comply with medical officers’ prescriptions and advice. 

13.0   IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION 

13.1        The Health and Social Welfare Policy shall be communicated to all employees in MoFNP.  Guidelines shall be prepared detailing the onwards operations of the scheme and these shall be distributed. 

13.2        The Working Committee shall also conduct a series of sensitization workshops for all members of staff on the Health and Social Welfare Policy. 

13.3        MoFNP Health and Social Welfare Policy shall be integrated into the Ministry’s Strategic Plans, Annual budgets and Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).  This shall be reviewed annually in accordance with the changing work environment. 

13.4        The Chairperson of the working Committee shall report monthly on the activities of the committee to the Director of Human Resources and Administration (HRA) who shall report to Senior Management. 

13.5        The working Committee shall be required to prepare an annual report and carry out an evaluation of HIV and AIDS programme bi-annually. 

13.6        MoFNP shall make available all the required resources to facilitate the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Health and Social Welfare Policy. 

14.0   POLICY REVIEW 

14.1   The policy shall be reviewed in accordance with changes in Statutory instruments affecting terms and conditions of service. 

14.2   The policy shall be reviewed every two (2) years or when need arises.

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