Assessing The Impact Of Hiv/ Aids On Employees' Performance (A Case Study: Kasanga Primary Health Care In Kasese District - Uganda)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to identify the number of people grampling with sickness due to HIV/AIDS related diseases and look for strategies to enhance

increase psychosocial support to mitigate spread and the impact of the scourge to employees. Furtherstill was to enhance HIV/AIDS policy for its staff/employees, although precautions are taken at work to minimize the rise of HIV infection that hinder employees' performance at the work place.

The study was conducted to 50 respondents which constituted into thirty workers, ten local leaders and ten HIV/AIDS clients at Kasanga PHC in Kasese District - Western Uganda, where the problem was cited.

During the study, the researcher revealed that it is true HIV/AIDS pandemic triggers absenteeism, stress, depression, low morale, low commitment, stigma, labour turnover, inferiority complex to both infected and non infected employees which eventually hinder employees' performance at workplace. However, the research clarified that if the intervening variables are realized for instance provision of HIV/AIDS awareness programs, better and professional counseling services, free VCT, accessibility of quality ARVs (like

Alluvia, Truvada, Nevirapine and Efavirenz), provision of condoms at workplace,

presence and observance of the HIV policy, massive campaign and sensitization programs about the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other employees' welfare services for instance food, transport, social and recreational facilities etc, will help to cool down the situation and enhance better performance to employees at workplace.

Argument, the research revealed that it is not only HIV/AIDS pandemic

hinders employees' performance in the organization. In fact, there are other factors and these proved to have similar negative impacts like of HIV/AIDS pandemic. These factors are: poor managerial roles (planning, organizing, staffing, leading, controlling, budgeting, interpersonal roles, informational roles and decisional roles), poor work conditions (physical condition, work space designing, illumination, noise, music, temperature and humidity), unfair labour practice (poor payment, unequal employment opportunity, promotion, etc), poor

communication (upward to downward and downward to upward and horizontal),

Unclear policies, Rules and procedures (Contracts, terms and conditions of employment), poor motivation (employees development, fringe benefits, employees' welfare services etc), lack of knowledge and skills etc. However, this

justified that an organization can prosper when the above factors are realized rather than the influence of HIV/AIDS clients employed in an organization. For instance, having good managerial roles (planning, organizing, staffing, leading,

controlling, budgeting, interpersonal roles, informational roles and decisional roles), good work conditions (physical condition, work space designing, illumination, noise, music, temperature and humidity), fair labour practice (good

Vil

payment, equal employment opportunity, promotion etc), good communication

(upward to downward and downward to up and horizontal), clear policies, rules

and procedures (contracts, terms and conditions of employment) and good motivation (employees development, fringe benefits, availability of good employees' welfare services etc).

Lastly, I recommend that this research report will provide you with knowledge, skills, techniques and insights that will improve the way you approach and carry out further studies about HIV/AIDS.