Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2001. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday December 12, 2001
Gold Fields -- the country's second biggest gold producer -- said the agreed workplace AIDS programme was one of the most advanced in South Africa, which has more people living with the disease than any other country in the world.
About 25 percent of Gold Fields' total workforce was living with HIV-AIDS although at some of its mines this was as high as 30 percent, Gold Fields spokesman Willie Jacobsz said.
The full impact of the pandemic was projected to be felt in five years, when the disease would add $4 to $5 to the cost of each ounce of gold produced by the firm.
Gold Fields' AIDS programme centres on slowing down the spead of the deadly disease through education and awareness programmes and the promotion of condom use.
It also includes treatment of opportunistic diseases, management of sexually transmitted diseases and voluntary testing and counselling. There is no major role for life-prolonging antiretroviral drugs in the programme.
The agreement was signed with the National Union of Mineworkers, the United Associations of South Africa and the Mineworkers Union Solidarity.
AIDS affects companies' financially mainly through loss of productivity and workforce skills as well as absenteeism.
The company earlier this year estimated that, without intervention, the prevalence rate would reach 40 percent by 2009, lifting gold costs by $10 an ounce.
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