HIV/AIDS threatens Swazi workforce

Swaziland's workforce has been heavily affected by HIV/AIDS and the country could face an influx of migrant workers as a result of this. Migrant workers from all over Southern Africa could soon descend on the small kingdom to replace Swazi workers dying of HIV/AIDS, the IPS news

agency reported this week.

Enterprise and Employment Minister Lutfo Dlamini revealed last month that a major foreign company had pulled out of the country due to fears about HIV/AIDS, rather than trade problems. Leading AIDS activist Hannie Dlamini, told PlusNews that he was not surprised by this because the government still had not produced a comprehensive national AIDS policy. Dlamini heads Swaziland's AIDS support organisation (SASO) - one of the country's few counselling agencies.

"There are no reliable statistics available on how the country's workforce has been affected by the pandemic. Stigma and discrimination have made it difficult for workers to disclose their HIV status," Dlamini said.

The only evidence of the effect of HIV/AIDS on the workforce has been the increasing numbers of absent workers and deaths.