COMMISSION ON HIV/AIDS AND THE CONSTITUENCIES

Facilitator: Debra Marsden, Public Affairs Manager, Old Mutual

Speakers: Dr Eddie Mhlanga, Chief Director, Maternal and Child Health, Department of Health

      Prudence Mabele, Director, Positive Women's Network

Introduction and guidelines to the topic:

HIV/AIDS is the most critical challenge facing South Africa and the region as a whole. The Southern African region is the global epicentre of HIV/AIDS. The primary segment of the population threatened by the epidemic is the workforce. The balance between the economically active population and dependants is becoming increasingly distorted. There is a growing recognition that it is far more than a health crisis and that it requires urgent action by all constituencies. Speakers were asked to address the following:

• Strategies for addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on public policy and service delivery
• Specific actions that business, labour and communities can take to address this crisis
• Development and implementation of workplace policy

Introducing the topic, the chairperson outlined grim statistics of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa. The following statistics are of particular concern:

• 1600 South Africans are infected daily with HIV/AIDS.
• Approximately 3.6 million South Africans are infected with HIV/AIDS. This figure could reach 6 million by the year 2000.
• The largest increase in prevalence is in the 15-25 year old category.

The chairperson said that there were many issues on the Nedlac agenda that required social dialogue. However, HIV/AIDS was a matter of national priority and social dialogue should result in an immediate programme of action.

Summary of points made by Dr Eddie Mhlanga

HIV/AIDS is more common amongst women and is spreading in rural and urban areas. Several factors such as poverty, social deprivation, the migrant labour system and the low social status of women fuel the pandemic in South Africa.

The cost of HIV/AIDS to business is astronomical. Costs arise from an increase in employee benefits such as insurance and medical care. Other costs arise from absenteeism due to illness and funeral attendance, recruitment, selection and training of new employees, increased scarcity of trained labour and lower productivity of learner workers.

Public health authorities and NGOs have taken leadership roles in the work on HIV/AIDS. However, these two sectors need support from the business sector to deploy resources and skills optimally in the battle against HIV/AIDS.

Barriers to corporate action

• Business people lack basic knowledge on the disease or simply do not perceive it as a threat to their profits
• HIV/AIDS is a threatening disease that entails death and other unpleasant realities and companies may not want to associate their products with such an image
• Business is involved in other social issues and HIV/AIDS has to compete with these for support
• Success in terms of HIV/AIDS is not a short-term outcome and may not be easy to measure

Benefits of corporate action

Companies cannot be expected to do everything. They will be motivated to engage in activities that are close to, and grow out of the identity of the business. A company has to assess the risks of HIV/AIDS to the business, its stakeholders, and the broader society within which it operates. Business then needs to:

• Ensure that it has policies in place to help protect and provide for employees who contract HIV/AIDS
• Devise a strategy for supporting initiatives that help protect other key stakeholders namely consumers, suppliers and local communities where facilities are based
• Consider philanthropic support for initiatives in the wider society that generally combat the disease and help marginalised societies
• Take a leadership role on HIV/AIDS issues if at all possible at a national, regional or international level

Business has a critical role to play in the realm of public education to prevent the spread of HIV particularly in the developing world and emerging economies where governments are weak or lacking in resources. Business people are some of the world's greatest organisers, communicators and employ some of the best educated, most creative, multilingual, multicultural people. This resource can be used to help spread HIV/AIDS messages.

Business stands to benefit by involving themselves in HIV/AIDS in the following ways:

• By building a relationship with customers who will appreciate a company's concern for their health and that of their families
• Helping valued suppliers reduce their health care costs and stay in business
• Assisting communities where the business is based to stay healthy and avoid increased public costs. Such actions contribute to a reputation as a good neighbour and corporate citizen, which may be of value when a business is looking to develop and protect its operations locally

No sector can conquer the HIV/AIDS epidemic in isolation. The success of working together in future campaigns against this epidemic will depend on all sectors working in partnership, leveraging each other's resources to increase the total impact of preventive measures in an effective and businesslike manner. In this way the global epidemic will be contained and in the future, hopefully eradicated.

Summary of points made by Prudence Mabele

The most poor and disadvantaged people in South Africa are more likely to get seriously ill with AIDS, and to die from the illnesses connected to AIDS due to poor health care, bad living conditions and inadequate support mechanisms. Adequate support mechanisms such as HIV counselling, advice, better education and medical support programmes need to be developed. Treatment for HIV/AIDS and other AIDS related illnesses such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and diarrhoea should be more affordable and accessible.

The number of HIV/AIDS orphans is escalating at an alarming rate. These orphans are being discriminated against and are having to live with a stigma. A more conducive environment needs to be created where people can be more HIV tolerant.

Women should become more proactive and rely on their own prevention measures. The female condom should be more readily available and educational programmes about the use of these condoms need to be developed and facilitated on a regular basis.

HIV/AIDS is not only an incurable, life threatening condition it is also an epidemic of discrimination and prejudice. People with HIV/AIDS often face serious discrimination in the workplace such as dismissal, demotion, or transfer.

Issues raised in discussion

The commission participants noted that there was no business representative in thecommission. Participants felt that it was important that business table its position withregards to HIV/AIDS. In summary, participants suggested that:

The Nedlac constituencies should

• Play a crucial role in bringing the social partners together to adopt strategies to overcome this epidemic
• Establish a code on HIV/AIDS
• Commission a research study into the cost structure of HIV/AIDS in the workplace

Labour should

• Play a critical role in challenging HIV/AIDS related dismissals and demotions

Business should

• Ensure that there are adequate resources in the workplace to help fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic
• Implement continuous HIV/AIDS training and education programmes in the workplace
• Create an enabling environment where those infected with HIV/AIDS feel comfortable enough to disclose their status if they wish to do so

Government should

• Build in a values component in terms of one-partner relationships and motivate for the use of condoms in HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns
• Create a programme of awareness of the use and availability of female condoms
• Distribute in equal proportions its HIV/AIDS grant to all HIV/AIDS related organisations
• Introduce an HIV/AIDS grant that should be made available to AIDS orphans

Religious institutions should

• be involved in spreading the message of how to combat HIV/AIDS