HIV/AIDS SUCCESSES GROW IN NELSON MANDELA BAY

South Africa, Port Elizabeth - International Expert on HIV&AIDS Workplace Programmes Martin Weihs says the startling number of requests for HIV/AIDS testing in a sample of five South African automotive companies proves that there is in fact overwhelming willingness from South Africans to know their status.

Weihs, employed by the German Development Agency, at the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), said that during a recent programme facilitated by the AIDC at Ford and three suppliers over 1000 automotive workers were tested in just two weeks.

Over 90% of staff at Visteon, Lumotech and Formex Engineering in the Mandela Bay Bay had tested for HIV/AIDS.

Over 1000 employees participated directly in the testing but Weihs suggests that indirectly over 4000 people in the community were impacted as those tested shared their experience with their families.

"A 60% uptake of staff in voluntary testing during a first year HIV AIDS Programme is considered to be an exemplary benchmark so the participation of over 90% in this instance is off the chart, says Weihs.

"What this shows is that people do want to know their status. They are very concerned about the disease and they will embrace initiatives in their workplaces that are well implemented and that they feel they can trust. Trust is very important"

"Having people know their status is the best way of fighting the pandemic - because it produces behaviour change and obviously allows treatment."

The Programme is the result of a partnership initiated by the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) and German programme AWISA (AIDS Workplace Programmes in Southern Africa).

The unique model developed by the AIDC had Ford act as a "big brother" to a cluster of suppliers. A core project team comprising specialist skills from the Ford Engine Plant, AIDC and AWISA provided technical, financial, administrative, and project management capabilities. AIDC Supplier Development Project Manager Arnelle Heynes said the model was an example of how large companies were taking steps to protect their supply chain against HIV/AIDS, particularly targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are typically less able to protect themselves.

"Large companies need the SME workforce, which employs 50-70% of the workforce, to be healthy. Without fully effective SMEs in their supply chain they simply cannot function, and HIV/AIDS is having a profound impact on productivity at this level.

It is primarily large businesses or multinationals that are addressing HIV/AIDS in the workplace but small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are facing the same issue. Unfortunately these smaller businesses do not have the resources to address the challenges.

"The cluster approach as implemented by Ford with its suppliers gives large companies a chance to show leadership in corporate social responsibility and supply chain management and help SMEs deal with HIV/AIDS," Heynes said.

For queries, please contact Arnelle Heynes, AIDC Project Manager, on aheynes@aidc.co.za or 041 393 2103

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