The
HIV/AIDS crisis is particularly serious for the South African
manufacturing and transport sectors.
They
are losing trained people at an alarming rate, overseas investment
is being scared away, and millions of potential customers for
automotive products and transport services are either dying or
becoming impoverished by the worst disease epidemic the world has
ever known.
DaimlerChrysler
and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa unveiled in
June 2000 what was at that point the most comprehensive corporate
workplace strategy anywhere to tackle the consequences of the
epidemic. They hope
that it will provide a model for action by other employers in South
Africa as well as for HIV/AIDS programmes in other developing
nations.
Here
are the details:
BLUEPRINT
HIV/AIDS WORKPLACE POLICY FROM DAIMLERCHRYSLER
DaimlerChrysler
South Africa (DCSA) announced in June 2001 a multi-million Rand
HIV/AIDS workplace strategy, which could become the blueprint for
other companies operating in developing nations.
DCSA
Chief Executive Officer Christoph Köpke said the strategy converted
talk into meaningful action, as well as put into practice
recommendations by the government and various unions that called on
corporate South Africa to advance its contribution to managing the
HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. “Currently there are 1 700 new
HIV infections per day. Last year, 13% of South Africa’s workforce
was HIV positive and by 2006, this figure is expected to soar to
over 25%. Something has to be done,” he said.
DCSA
has worked closely with the trade unions and service providers to
develop a multifaceted strategy that will effectively manage the
impact of HIV/AIDS on DCSA and reduce further spread of HIV
infection among its workforce.
The
strategy includes continuous education and awareness programmes,
comprehensive healthcare services and employee benefits –
including antiretroviral drugs and the monitoring of antiviral
treatment of secondary (opportunistic) infections such as
tuberculosis. The local
community involvement will be extended to health education
campaigns, the improvement of quality of care in health centers, the
involvement of traditional healers as peer educators, the training
of medical doctors and health workers on standardised
treatment and monitoring schemes, legislative compliance,
risk assessments, and research and evaluation.
Urging
business to collaborate on HIV/AIDS interventions, Köpke, who is
also the current chairman of SACOB, suggested that minimum standards
of employee assistance should be established and formalised in a
corporate charter. “We can’t win the war alone and DCSA would be
more than willing to share our knowledge, research and strategies
with other multinational and smaller industries,” he said.
DCSA
was one of the first SA-based companies to react to the threat of
HIV/AIDS and implemented an initial policy in 1996, and the first to
provide free HIV/AIDS drugs. The rapid spread of the epidemic and
threat to the business necessitated an extensive review of the
policy. Thus, in partnership with the Technical Co-operation Agency
of the German Ministry of Economics and Finance (public, private,
partnership) DCSA completely overhauled its strategy to ensure that
the company continues to grow and contribute to SA’s developing
economy.
Since
inception in November 2000, considerable progress has already been
made. A representative HIV/AIDS taskforce has been formed and a
full-time programme co-ordinator appointed. A two-day national
conference was held for employee representatives and other
stakeholders, followed by a series of internal workshops in close
collaboration with all representatives and levels of the company and
trade unions, the HIV/Aids policy was developed. With the aim of
becoming trusted sources of information, 132 peer educators from all
employee levels have started formal training while greater impetus
has been given to the company’s health promotion campaigns for
Voluntary Counselling and Testing, monitoring and treatment of
sexually transmitted diseases, and proper condom use, at a cost of
some R6 million.
In
addition, DaimlerChrysler has made an allocation of R15 million per
annum for the provision of antiretroviral drugs and the expansion of
logistical infrastructure.
NUMSA’s
partnership with DaimlerChrysler in this project has made full
employee participation possible.
“In addition to employee benefits such as access to
antiviral treatment, disability and death benefits and funeral
cover, the programme fulfills a critical need of intervention in the
wider communities,” said Mthuthuzeli Tom, president of NUMSA.
One
of the programme’s unique characteristics is its focus on formal
research and evaluation. Baseline research, knowledge, practice and
behavior survey (KAPB), risk assessments, prevalence surveys,
cost-benefit analysis, impact studies and perception audits will
ensure interventions are appropriate and effective.
“Our
long-term goal is to prevent new infections among our employees,
their families and the communities,” Köpke continued. “To get
there, we will create non-discriminatory and compassionate
environments and provide the best care for our employees and their
dependants living with HIV/AIDS.”
The
Union viewpoint:
These
comments were made about the programme by Mthuthuzeli Tom, the
president of NUMSA, South Africa’s dominant union for
metalworkers:
DaimlerChrysler
SA has adopted its enhanced HIV/AIDS policy at a time when the Trade
Union Movement is beginning to take note of the significant effects
of the disease on its membership.
The
HIV/AIDS epidemic is continuing to expand at an unprecedented rate.
Currently 3.5 million South Africans in the sexually active
age group are infected with the virus (Human Sciences Research
Council statistics). The
World Health Organisation has estimated that the infection rate is
around 1,800 per day. These
figures are alarming.
As
a trade union we have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that we
actively participate in the awareness campaign to educate our
members, families and communities about the disease and its effects
to people.
This
is not an easy task, because one has to deal with the stigma
associated with the disease directed to those who are already
affected.
Secondly,
regarding the topic itself, in relation to older people on the basis
of cultural sensitivity, is a challenge that we have to take head-on
because it is necessary to do so.
We have to ensure that we save lives and beat the scourge of
HIV/AIDS.
It
is also difficult to see who is HIV+ because the disease can hide
for a long time. HIV is
a silent killer. Unless
each one of us goes for voluntary counseling and testing, ideally
when one is healthy, and then takes action to stay healthy, we
cannot win this battle.
Therefore
we need to encourage members to go for voluntary counseling and
testing at a facility staffed by competent, caring professionals
that we can trust.
Knowing
your HIV status ensures that you can plan the best lives for
yourself and your family. With
a proper, comprehensive health care approach, our members living
with HIV/AIDS can lead full, productive and healthy lives in the
Trade Union Movement, in the community, in the family and at the
workplace.
To
win the struggle against HIV/AIDS, organised business, the Trade
Union Movement, the People' Organisations, NGOs and Government need
to combine forces to ensure that we mount a combined offensive
against those factors that fuel this epidemic:
The
task is very big but we need to do it for the sake of saving
people's lives.
Workers and their organisation NUMSA, support the DCSA
HIV/AIDS Policy. |
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