Mining firm supplies free anti-Aids drugs

The mining company, Anglo American said yesterday that it would soon begin supplying free anti-Aids drugs to any workers infected with the deadly disease.

Workers in the company's mining and forestry operations in about 40 countries will have access to the program, according to officials of the British-based conglomerate. The drugs will be distributed first in South Africa and then other southern African countries that have been hit especially hard by Aids.

The plan would benefit the estimated 86 per cent of Anglo's 90,000 employees who lacked enough medical cover to afford the lifesaving drugs, said company spokeswoman Marion Dixon.

Anglo says an estimated 20 per cent of its workforce – excluding its gold mining subsidiary Anglo Gold – is HIV positive and many of those do not have access to anti-Aids drugs. Anglo Gold has a separate HIV programme.

Ms Dixon said the new programme, which will take effect in the coming weeks, would help the company maintain a healthy and vibrant workforce. "The well being and the health of our employees is paramount to us ... and this would help have a healthier work force," she said.

Businesses say the Aids pandemic will have a devastating effect on the economy, and research has shown providing workers with drugs is cheaper than paying for absenteeism, loss of productivity, hospitalization, funerals and training replacement staff.

The cost of the new programme was unclear, Dixon said, because the company was unsure how many employees planned to enroll.

Anglo, which currently provides employees with Aids' education and prevention services, drafted the new plan last year. It will include advanced counselling services and help in using the drugs.