Date: 01/05/2003
Source: Ministry of Minerals and Energy
Title: Shabangu: HIV/AIDS Mining Summit - Declaration of Intent


DEPUTY MINISTER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY, SUSAN SHABANGU'S NOTES FOR INTERVIEWS: HIV/AIDS MINING SUMMIT - DECLARATION OF INTENT, 30 April 2003

3. THE PARTIES ACKNOWLEDGE THAT:

3.1 Prevention and awareness of the infection should be the central focus in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

3.2 Nutrition is an essential component of HIV/AIDS prevention and management programmes.

3.3 Traditional healers have an important role to play in the comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS.

3.4 A number of mining companies have recently introduced anti-retroviral drugs as part of their comprehensive HIV/AIDS programmes.

4. COMMITMENTS:

4.1 The parties commit that by the end of 2004, every workplace in the mining industry will have HIV/AIDS policies and programmes in place, which are aimed at encouraging openness about the disease and to reduce stigmatisation, discrimination, and prejudice against workers who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

5.1 PREVENTION:

* The parties agree to evaluate the effectiveness of their current publicity and information campaigns and to work towards improved and better-coordinated information, education and communication campaigns.

* The parties agree that voluntary testing and counselling (VCT) is integral to the vision of preventing new infections and shall encourage all employees to utilize VCT services (to determine their HIV status), and this shall be done within the context of informed consent, confidentiality and non-discrimination.

5.2 TREATMENTS, CARE AND SUPPORT:

The parties recognise and support that people living with HIV/AIDS require a continuum of care, which should be inclusive of:

* Access to wellness programmes that may include:
* Information and knowledge about HIV/AIDS;
* Information and advice on healthy living;
* Adequate and nutritious diet;
* Appropriate treatment of opportunistic infections;
* Appropriate monitoring of HIV/AIDS;
* The provision of anti-retroviral drugs, in line with international norms and standards, and ethical considerations.

5.3 RESEARCH, MONITORING AND EVALUATION:

5.3.1 The parties commit to research, monitoring and evaluation, inclusive of assessing:

* The impact of HIV/AIDS in the mining industry;
* The economic impact of HIV/AIDS on the mining industry;
* The consequence of long-term use of anti-retroviral drugs in the mining industry;
* The quality of programmes and adherence to international norms; and
* The need to extend HIV/AIDS programmes beyond the workplace.

5.4 SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS:

The parties commit to establishing measures to improve the standard of housing for mineworkers including the upgrading of hostels, conversion of hostels into family units and the promotion of home ownership for all employees.

Issued by Ministry of Minerals and Energy
1 May 2003