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Major firms go it alone to help HIV+ workers
Mluleki Mntungwa
2002-09-18

As the government continues to condemn AIDS drugs as toxic, the private sector is deciding to go solo in providing its employees anti-retroviral drugs. South African Ports Operations (SAPO), the division of Transnet has become the first parastatal to announce a plan that will ensure among other things that anti-retroviral drugs are available to its employees. Earlier this year, mining giants Anglo American and De Beers offered to provide free anti-retroviral drugs for employees infected with AIDS. Another company which has already opted for treatment is BP which has been providing the drug to employees for the past 18 months. Launched on Monday, the programme has two components focusing on providing employees with voluntary counselling and HIV testing.The programme also entails the provision of treatment of opportunistic diseases and the provision of anti-retroviral drugs to the employees. SAPO spokesperson Mark Gregg-MacDonald said the programme had been launched to create a healthier work force through the provision of education and medical support to both HIV-positive and unaffected employees. Transnet has set aside R500-million over five years to facilitate the programme, with the first R80-million being used for this financial year. KwaZulu-Natal department of health deputy director general Professor Stephen Hendricks said that the department was proud of SAPO and it would give the company the support it deserved to carry out the programme. (Source:The Star, 17 September 2002)

As the government continues to condemn AIDS drugs as toxic, the private sector is deciding to go solo in providing its employees anti-retroviral drugs.

South African Ports Operations (SAPO), the division of Transnet has become the first parastatal to announce a plan that will ensure among other things that anti-retroviral drugs are available to its employees.

Earlier this year, mining giants Anglo American and De Beers offered to provide free anti-retroviral drugs for employees infected with AIDS. Another company which has already opted for treatment is BP which has been providing the drug to employees for the past 18 months.

Launched on Monday, the programme has two components focusing on providing employees with voluntary counselling and HIV testing.The programme also entails the provision of treatment of opportunistic diseases and the provision of anti-retroviral drugs to the employees.

SAPO spokesperson Mark Gregg-MacDonald said the programme had been launched to create a healthier work force through the provision of education and medical support to both HIV-positive and unaffected employees.

Transnet has set aside R500-million over five years to facilitate the programme, with the first R80-million being used for this financial year.

KwaZulu-Natal department of health deputy director general Professor Stephen Hendricks said that the department was proud of SAPO and it would give the company the support it deserved to carry out the programme.(Source:The Star, 17 September 2002)

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