The Uganda Aids Commission has said office prostitution is a new war front which is complicating the fight against HIV/Aids.

“Most sex workers work in high profile offices during the day and in the evening, they sell sex to get money. This is why we have many lodges where you find them during lunch time and they are stay-wives during weekends,” Prof Vinand Nantulya, the chairman of Uganda Aids Commission, said while opening the 8th annual nutrition and safety fair yesterday.

The fair was organised by Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA).

Prof Nantulya said unlike the traditional sex workers who go to the streets to get prospective clients, the office-based ones are on call and involve workmates, leading to spread of HIV/Aids in work places hence affecting the productivity of employees

Employers advised

He advised employers to establish HIV policies, saying: “It is cheaper to keep a healthy workforce rather than treating employees all the time because medical bills eat up profits of the company.”

The national prevalence HIV rate is at 7.3 per cent and the youth age bracket is between 18 and 35 of the population which forms the biggest workforce.

According to Mr Sebagala Kigozi, the UMA executive director, they started organising the annual fair eight years ago after realising that many of their members were finding challenges with maintaining a healthy workforce.

“We came together and tried to come up with solutions to the common challenges our members were facing of maintaining a healthy workforce and that is why we have companies exhibiting their products and services outside,” Mr Kigozi said.