Report on the Global HIV/AIDS epidemic

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Report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic - June 2000

Figure 12.
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Newly diagnosed AIDS cases and medical expenditure on an
agricultural estate in Kenya, 1989-1997
25
Rnew AIDS cases 20
-+- medical spending
15 c
E
10
5
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1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

Source: Rugalema et al. HIV/AIDS and the commercial agricultural sector of Kenya, UNDP/FAO, 1999
Box 5. HIV in the workplace: the business response
At Volkswagen in Brazil, which employs 30 000 people, the potential impact of HIV
was assessed early on. By 1996, the company considered that AIDS was accounting for high treatment costs and employees were experiencing frequent interruptions, precocious illness and shortened life expectancy. It quickly established an
AIDS Care Programme that included medical care, clinical support, information and
installation of condom machines. Volkswagen also adopted a technical protocol
detailing the standard of assistance and care it should provide. Three years later,
hospitalizations were down by 90% and HIV/AIDS costs by 40%.
American International Insurance, Thailand's largest life insurance company, began
its efforts close to home by providing training on HIV and AIDS in its own offices. In
1995, it began a nationwide fundraising "AIDSathon", which in turn led to the development, with the Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS, of group insurance benefits
to policyholders that demonstrated they had effective policies for combating HIV and
AIDS.
In India, the Tata Iron and Steel Company has evolved its own AIDS policy in recognition that the fight against the epidemic cannot be the responsibility of governments
alone. In its own words, "Tata Steel will take measures to prevent the incidence and
spread of HIV/AIDS in our society. In case of need, the company will arrange to pro>

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