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Anglo American is to redouble efforts to persuade its employees to go
for HIV/Aids tests and voluntary counselling after failing to persuade
enough staff to do so.
The mining company’s latest Report to society reveals that only 29 per cent of its employees had undergone tests by the end of last year, well short of its 2005 target of 50 per cent.
The company, which has made testing a main plank of its corporate programme to combat HIV and Aids, says it will put more resources into persuading staff to take tests, as it believes it will make little progress on tackling HIV/Aids without doing so. ‘We’re determined to improve on the figure in future years as it’s our firm belief that this is the entry point for an effective workplace Aids response,’ it said.
Anglo American estimates the prevalence of HIV in its African workforce at 23 per cent. HIV-positive employees are offered free treatment with drugs provided by the company. It reports that for those who receive treatment, bottom-line savings on HIV-related absenteeism alone can recoup up to 60 per cent of the cost of the drugs, and that productivity also rises as a result.
The mining company’s latest Report to society reveals that only 29 per cent of its employees had undergone tests by the end of last year, well short of its 2005 target of 50 per cent.
The company, which has made testing a main plank of its corporate programme to combat HIV and Aids, says it will put more resources into persuading staff to take tests, as it believes it will make little progress on tackling HIV/Aids without doing so. ‘We’re determined to improve on the figure in future years as it’s our firm belief that this is the entry point for an effective workplace Aids response,’ it said.
Anglo American estimates the prevalence of HIV in its African workforce at 23 per cent. HIV-positive employees are offered free treatment with drugs provided by the company. It reports that for those who receive treatment, bottom-line savings on HIV-related absenteeism alone can recoup up to 60 per cent of the cost of the drugs, and that productivity also rises as a result.
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