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HIV/AIDS has become a full-blown development crisis affecting all sectors of the
economy. The industrial sector is one of the severely hit sectors in Africa. AIDSrelated
illnesses and deaths of employees affect an enterprise by both decreasing
production (e.g., absenteeism, decrease of production while at work) and increasing
expenditures (e.g., health care costs, burial fees and training and recruitment of
replacement employees).
This is a report of a study that attempted to estimate the changes in worker’s output
and attendance associated with advancing HIV infection, and to determine direct
costs incurred by a fibre products factory due to illness and death related to
HIV/AIDS.
The study subjects were factory workers enrolled in a cohort study of HIV incidence
and progression in Akaki since February 1997. Laboratory data (HIV serological
status, CD4, viral load) at enrolment were matched with factory records on individual
worker’s productivity (as measured by incentive payments) and sick leaves taken
during the study period.
Among a total of 797 workers in job category with incentive payment, 676
participants were included for the study. Of these, 86 (12.7%) were HIV infected with
a mean age of 36 years. The mean incentive earnings have no significant difference
between HIV positives and negatives at baseline (in 1997). However, in the
following years (1998,1999 and 2000) the incentive earnings of HIV positives were
significantly lower than the incentive earnings of HIV negatives.
In 2000 HIV infected workers earned significantly less incentive (mean = 51.77 Eth.
Birr) than those who are not infected (mean =79.77 Eth. Birr). In addition the mean
sick leave days per year were significantly greater in HIV positives than HIV
negatives both at baseline and after four years. HIV positives were given 64% and
8
81% more sick leaves than HIV negatives in 1997 and 2000 respectively. In
conclusion, this study has shown that there is a direct negative impact of HIV
infection on the productivity of factory workers. |
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