A workplace hiv project for smes in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape Dr Simeon Odugwu

A Workplace HIV Project for SMEs in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape

• Dr Simeon Odugwu

• Project Manager

• June 6, 2007

• ICC Durban

Background

• In 2006

• 25 of 40 million living with HIV/AIDS are in Sub-Saharan Africa

• People living with AIDS - 5,5 million; 91% of them aged 20 – 64 years

• Prevalence in adults aged 15 to 49 – 18.8%

• Adults aged 15 yrs and over living with HIV - 5,3 million

• Orphans aged 0 – 17 due to HIV – 1.2 million

• Percentage of infected men and women on antiretrovirals – 21%

• Prevalence in ANC attendees in 2005 – 30.5%

• Incident HIV cases 527,000 (+/-1400/day; ~ 88% in adults)

• Deaths due to HIV - 320,000 (270,000– 380,000)

Background - contd

• STI, HIV/AIDS & TB epidemics closely linked

• Many socio-economic factors fuel the epidemic

• AIDS deaths will peak around 2012

• HIV/AIDS predominantly affects productive age groups impacting on the entire economy

• HIV/AIDS is a key development challenge

• HIV/AIDS is a critical risk management focus for business in South Africa

Which way is the HIV epidemic headed in SA I?

‘Everyone can help fight the disease …’

Objectives

• Objectives

• Provide leadership for/stimulate local organized business response to HIV/AIDS.

• Deliver comprehensive HIV and AIDS prevention, care, support, treatment and risk management services at SME level in the Buffalo City Municipality.

• Build innovative partnerships for effective service delivery.

• Strengthen comprehensive primary health care services in both public and private sectors.

• Project Partners

• DaimlerChrysler SA

• Border-Kei Chamber of Business

• DEG (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH)

• Participating companies

• BroadReach Health Care LLC

• Aid For AIDS Pty Ltd

• Buffalo City Municipality & Amathole District Municipality

• Department of Health Province of the Eastern Cape

• Eastern Cape AIDS Council

• Eastern Cape Development Corporation

DCSA / BKCOB / DEG HIV/AIDS Project 2006 - 2007

• Burmeisters
• Defy Refrigeration
• Dimbaza Foundries
• Fabkomp
• Faurecia – EL Plant
• G4 Securicor – EL Operations
• Hemmingways Casino
• Johnson Controls Int – EL Plant
• Lear Corporation – EL Plant

DCSA / BKCOB / DEG HIV/AIDS Project 2006 - 2007

• SME Level

• Policy implementation & / or review
• Training for
• Management
• Focal Persons & support – 27 trained, monthly meetings.
• Employees – compulsory small groups training/counseling
• Occupational health service staff
• Patients
• Peer Educators
• On-site voluntary testing of employees
• Private care for HIV +ve employees/deps at no cost (GP network)
• Risk assessment & risk management advisory services

DCSA / BKCOB / DEG HIV/AIDS Project 2006 - 2007

• PHC Component

• Quality of care audit & support of public PHC facilities
• Training of public sector PHC nurses & GPs in VCT & STI/TB/ HIV/AIDS Clinical Care

• Community outreach component

• Community Wellness Days – 1/year
• Extension of HIV & AIDS care, support & treatment to an additional 1,000 patients in the public sector ART queue. These include BCM employees.

Achievements to date and lessons learned

1. HIV Training for Managers

• Defy Refrigeration 30

• Dimbaza Foundries 27

• Faurecia 8

• Johnson Controls Int 9

• Lear Corporation 11

• Daily Dispatch 29

• Venture SA 8

• Fabkomp 17

• Summerpride Foods 14

DCSA / BKCOB / DEG HIV/AIDS Project 2006 - 2007

• Burmeisters
• Defy Refrigeration
• Dimbaza Foundries
• Fabkomp
• Faurecia – EL Plant
• Johnson Controls Int – EL Plant
• Rehau Polymer
• Summerpride Foods
• Time Clothing

4. Others

Lessons

• Pre-existing good employer-employee relationship is essential for success.

• Owners/managers are keen to roll out workplace programmes but would rather leave implementation to the experts.

• Employees are eager to participate but confidentiality remains a big issue.

• Denial remains a hindrance to accessing treatment.

• We need to find another way of reaching employee dependants.

Acknowledgements

• Nita Laine

• M. Mapenyane

• Janet Bennett

• H. Dwatyana

• Neil Le Roux

• Joyce Sauls

• Tanya Starck

• Zami Meke

• Noxolo Tetyana

• Clee Waterson

• Phumla Bazi

• Judi Dargie