Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention in the Workforce
The Angolan people and their Government are very quickly recovering from the country's long civil war and working hard to build the national capacity essential to broad-based economic growth and participatory democracy. Recognizing the positive change that is taking place, the United States Agency for International Development has shifted the focus of its programs away from humanitarian assistance and towards a collaborative assistance relationship that seeks to:
- reinforce Angolan efforts to improve people's lives through increased economic opportunity and improved social service delivery
- help Angolans make the systemic reforms that will lock Angola onto a path of stability and wide-spread prosperity
HIV/AIDS is a disease that is sweeping much of Southern Africa. It is a scourge that is overwhelming families, communities and societies. To date, prevalence of the disease in Angola has remained relatively low. To help reinforce the efforts of the Ministry of Health, and its National Institute for the Fight Against AIDS, to keep prevalence low, USAID is supporting the Comite Empresarial de Combate ao HIV/AIDS (Business Committee Against HIV/AIDS), an organization ably led by the Brazilian construction and engineering firm, Odebrecht, to mobilize the business community in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS in Angola
The countries in Southern Africa have the highest rates of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world. Angola is the fortunate exception. A sero-prevalence survey, conducted by the Ministry of Health and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2007 among women seeking pre-natal care, found an average national prevalence rate of 2.1 percent.
The war is thought to have deterred the spread of HIV by making large portions of the country inacessible. With the war over and transportation routes opening up, a spike in HIV/AIDS prevalence is a strong possibility. Among the risk factors:
- Angola has a young population. Nearly 70 percent of the population is under the age of 24.
- Many young Angolans have been left vulnerable by the war, with little formal education and poor employment opportunities.
- Angolans start to have sex very early in their lives and many will have multiple partners.
Through focused interventions, the number of new infections can be averted, keeping the levels of transmission low. With national commitment across the country, Angola and its people can avoid the tragedy that accompanies this horrible disease.
Why Business has a Stake in Fighting HIV/AIDS
There are many businesses that support activities in the HIV/AIDS arena because of an enlightened sense of social responsibility. Businesses, however, should also be active in fighting the disease because it's in their direct interest to do so.
HIV/AIDS can be costly to a company's business. Absenteeism rises among those who are ill with the disease and those who must care for family members with the illness. High staff turnover occurs due to death and illness, increasing recruitment and training costs. And efficiencies are lost as businesses lose valuable institutional experience.
HIV/AIDS also weakens the business environment. It can threaten the stability of an economy, discouraging investors; and increase social costs, diverting government expenditure away from more productive investments.
Finally, as households with high health care expenditures have less disposable income, HIV/AIDS can threaten many companies consumer base.
An Opportunity for Businesses in Angola to Join the Fight Against HIV/AIDS
Odebrecht was one of the first firms in the country to develop a comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention program for its workforce. In 2003, it received a commendation from the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS for its efforts.
In November 2005, Odebrecht came together with Coca-Cola and several other companies in Angola to form the Comite Empresarial de Combate ao HIV/SIDA.
The CEC will:
- channel private sector resources, energy and capabilities to reinforce Angolan efforts to teach AIDS prevention and behavior change messages to employees, their families and communities;
- provide a forum for companies to share their HIV/AIDS related experiences and materials, uch as workplace policies, insurance plans, and awareness and prevention programs;
- link experienced companies with other companies seeking suggestions on how to start or how to improve their HIV/AIDS outreach, education and care programs; and,
- improve communication and feedback between the private sector and the INLS on policies, best practices and strategic thinking on mitigating the effect of HIV/AIDS on labor forces and Angolan communities.
USAID's contribution to the CEC will include support for the adaptation and dissemination of training and educational materials as well as technical assistance for the training of workforce personnel and other aspects of a successful workforce awareness program. USAID will also offer its ability to draw on experiences from other countries and regions.
The CEC was officially launched in June 2006. Already thirty companies have joined.
