Reaching the unreached migrants in unorganised workforce with health services
SHOBHA SHUKLA - CNS
Reach the migrant workers in unorganised workforce with full cascade of health and social protection services
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According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment of Government of India, the workers in the unorganised sector constitute about 93% of the total workforce in the country. A lot of them are informal migrant workers who live in difficult conditions and are most likely to be left behind when it comes to accessing healthcare and social protection services.
"My humble submission is that unorganised sector workers should be put first for serving their healthcare and social protection needs," said Syed Mohammad Afsar, who leads the global HIV/AIDS programme for ILO (International Labour Organization). ILO is one of the oldest United Nations agencies which focusses on social and economic justice by advancing labour standards.
"Gujarat is an Indian state that receives many migrant workers - they include those coming from neighbouring states as well as those who come from different districts of Gujarat. These migrants work in the informal sector and face a lot of hardships and challenges- such as violence, inadequate income, or vulnerable situations where their rights may not be protected. That is why since the last almost three years now, we have focussed on Gujarat to promote HIV testing among informal sector workers," added Afsar. Addressing gender-based violence, income disparities which make people vulnerable to HIV, and other vulnerabilities is also vital.
India, along with other countries, has promised to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Scientific evidence shows that if a person living with HIV is receiving lifesaving antiretroviral treatment and remains virally suppressed, then he/she/they can live normal healthy full lives and the risk of any onwards spread of HIV from that person is zero. At the same time, all others should have full access to HIV combination prevention options in an evidence- and rights-based manner.
Afsar shared that ILO intervention in Gujarat has been developed together with the government's Ministry of Labour and Employment, local employers and trade unions, and other partners to address both: HIV and TB among informal sector workers. Ending discrimination and building capacities is so key, says Afsar. Community-based HIV testing was one of the hallmarks of these efforts.
GAP is filling the gap in health service coverage of unorganised workforce
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