New Delhi: Large IT companies are increasingly taking up the responsibility of spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS among their employees. It’s not a problem yet for them. But it could become one. 65% of India’s IT companies are located in states with a high HIV concentration. And they employ a largely young labour force. A rise in the occurrence of the disease could hurt the sector. “At the end of the day it is not only helping future communities but also helping your future employees. It is of your interest to address this issue. Because some of the HIV cases happen with employees of these companies as well. So the business case is definitely rooted there”, says Djordjija Petkoski, Lead Specialist, World Bank Institute.
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Among the strategies that are being used to spread awareness, Nina Screwvalla, Global Head, TCS Maitree finds peer education most effective. “It works like a miracle”, she says. There is also an urgent need to spread awareness among the support groups like the drivers, security guards, who are more vulnerable and belong to lower economic strata.