1 December 2011
The international commemoration
of World Aids this year, coincides with the 10th anniversary of Debswana’s concerted efforts against HIV and
AIDS whose key focus was the provision of anti-retroviral therapy to employees
and their spouses living with HIV and AIDS. This programme, the first of its
kind in the whole world at its inception in 2001, has resulted in great
progress with statistics demonstrating a noticeable improvement in several
areas.
The Debswana HIV and AIDS
strategy which includes a comprehensive programme, comprising both prevention
initiatives as well as a disease management programme (DMP) where treatment of
AIDS and related conditions is provided, has resulted in tremendous improvement
in the lives of employees living with HIV and AIDS and their families. Availing
anti-retroviral therapy was a strategic business decision and has benefited
affected employees through availability of the therapy, counseling and other
benefits of the programme and the company through increased productivity. Debswana also continues to assist
Government in availing and increasing access to Highly Active Anti-Retroviral
Therapy (HAART) to Batswana through its hospitals in Orapa and Jwaneng which dispense
HAART to communities around its mines.
Commenting on the theme of this
year’s World AIDS Day – Getting to Zero – Debswana Group Manager, HIV/AIDS Impact
Management, Dr Onalethata Johnson, said “we had a very critical situation ten
years ago with soaring absenteeism due to ill health. That situation has
significantly reduced over time, indicating the programme’s positive impact on
the health and well-being of Debswana workforce.” She further said the company
also observed a downward trend in AIDS related deaths and AIDS related ill-health
retirement since the programme started.
Dr Johnson continued to explain
that in keeping with this year’s theme as well as the company’s value of ‘Show
we Care’, the company is expanding the
programme into a holistic initiative
with a focus on prevention of other chronic diseases of lifestyle as well as
care and support for those affected.
This programme, run under the
tagline of My Health, My Wealth, is
an integrated employee wellness programme, which endeavours to provide
appropriate resources for empowering employees to improving their physical, social
and psychological wellbeing and will be focusing not only on HIV & AIDS in
the workplace, which clearly is still an issue of concern, but also on other
health related matters that may have an impact on productivity at both
individual and Company level.
Debswana commits to living the
values of - Showing we care for each other and pulling together to shape the future
towards a stigma free environment and a healthier workforce and community.