Gold mining multinational Anglo American has announced that it is to provide treatments for its HIV-positive employees. The company, which is one of the richest corporations operating in South Africa, said that HAART would be provided to its HIV-positive employees on the basis of clinical need and that they would be in discussions with trade unions and the South African government about the implementation of their treatments policy.
According to an Anglo American press release, the speed at which HAART becomes available will be dependent upon "suitable company health infrastructure."
The move will be warmly welcomed by treatment activists, who earlier this year voiced dismay when it was suggested that Anglo American was ready to abandon its feasibility study to provide HAART to its African employees.
Anglo American estimates that 20% of its 125,000-strong African workforce are HIV-positive and in September last year a senior vice president said that “the cost of [antiretroviral] therapy will be outweighed by the benefits.”
It is estimated that the cost of providing HAART could increase the production costs of gold by 2%, however, mining companies like Anglo American have expressed concern that AIDS related mortality and illness amongst their highly trained staff could lead to collapse in production.
Anglo American has also pledged to work with national and regional governments in southern Africa as well as NGOs and the Global Fund "to extend [HA]ART delivery beyond the workplace to the broader community, including dependents of employees and retired employees."