Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
end to discrimination against people living with HIv. However, it became clear that
it would take a long time to deal effectively with the stigma and discrimination
that many HIv-positive South africans face on a daily basis. two months following
the announcement, Gugu Dlamini, an aIDS activist in Durban, was beaten to death
by her neighbours on world aIDS Day after she declared her HIv status. Indeed,
as many studies have shown, an HIv-positive diagnosis can negatively affect the
housing and employment opportunities for many people. a study by the Henry
Kaiser Foundation found that only one third of respondents who had revealed their
HIv-positive status met with a positive response in their communities (Steinberg et
al. 2002). one in ten said they had met with outright hostility and rejection. In an
effort to break the taboo, in 2005 nelson Mandela publicly announced the cause of
his son's death—'Some time now, I have been saying: “let us give publicity to HIv/
aids. let us not hide it.” because the only way in making it appear like a normal
illness' (Kalideen and Malefane 2005).
However, the dismissal of tshabalala-Msimang and the appointment of barbara
Hogan as South africa's new health minister by the country's interim president
Kgalema Motlanthe in September 2008 suggest a shift in the government's aIDS
policy. Hogan has a reputation for being a strong advocate of art rather than
nutrition as a means of treating HIv. there are also a few hopeful signs as businesses
have begun to heed the calls of nGos and civil society groups working with HIv-
positive people to tackle the onslaught. with rising absenteeism, sickness, and
death and decreased productivity among their workforce, businesses have begun
initiating educational programmes and workplace awareness to help prevent the
spread of the disease among their employees. with increased infection rates among
their employees as HIV spreads among wider populations, companies' profits
decline. Consequently, larger firms such as anglo american have realised that it is
disadvantageous to wait for employees to die off and then replenish the workforce
by hiring and training replacements. rather, many companies have launched HIv/
aIDS programmes of their own that provide art to employees who need medication
and provided incentives for others to determine their HIv status. anglo american
had 2500 employees on art by the end of 2004 and reported that approximately
94 percent were able to carry out their normal duties (aIDS Foundation South africa
2005). It cost the company approximately r16 000 (US$2100) per year to keep an
employee on treatment, a low price to pay given the tremendous costs to keep up an
unproductive and dying workforce and to hire and train new replacements (aIDS
Foundation South africa 2005).
the growth in the number of HIv-positive patients, albeit lower than expected,
reflects a change in government policy. An AIDS programme that stresses a healthy
diet and a prevention strategy is insufficient over the long haul in stemming the
number of aIDS-related deaths. the roll-out of art in november 2003 constituted
an important component of the government's operational Plan for comprehensive
HIv and aIDS care, Management and treatment for South africa (South africa
2003). although highly ambitious, the plan calls for a comprehensive distribution
of art to all HIv-positive South africans by 2009. It includes the promotion of
 
 
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