Zambian government to ban mandatory HIV testing in an effort to curb employment discrimination.

By William Nguluwe

LUSAKA, Zambia-The Zambian government has said it will ban mandatory HIV testing by introducing laws that will ensure that employers did not ask the HIV status of their prospective employees, in order to curb employment discrimination.
Minister of labour and social security, Ronald Mukuma said the Government was always saddened at complaints of discrimination of employees and prospective ones by some employers on account of real or perceived HIV positive and AIDS status.

He said the government would not entertain cases of termination of work due to perceived or real HIV status, adding that government desired a workplace where no employer should require any person to undergo any HIV test as a precondition for offer of employment or continuity in employment.
He was speaking at the launch of an HIV/AIDS workplace policy at York farm, one of Zambia’s major privately owned farms dealing at international levels, in Lusaka on Tuesday.

“We should stand together and fight such discriminatory behavior in our country whenever it shows its ugly face. It must be realized that we are all potentially exposed to the pandemic as we may be infected or affected at any time in life,” said Mr. Mukuma,
The government had since incorporated HIV/Aids issues in the employment Act of the laws of Zambia, legislation intended to ensure both employers and employees do not tolerate discrimination.

Mr. Mukuma said government wanted to see a just and fair labour market where no one was discriminated against on account of real or perceived HIV-positive status in relation to recruitment, remuneration, promotion, performance, job classification, transfer or training.
It is also government’s view not to allow any prospective employer to demand that a would be employee should disclose any matter whatsoever in connection with his or her HIV AIDS status