After considerable research, Unitrans has decided to make full medical treatment, including the supply of free anti-retroviral medication, available to employees with AIDS-related illnesses in an effort to limit the impact of HIV/Aids on its workforce and business.

By doing so, Unitrans becomes the first company in the South African transport sector to include free medication as part of a broader HIV/Aids management campaign.

When Unitrans conducted saliva tests for HIV prevalence in its freight operations two years ago, the results indicated that the number of employees infected with HIV was no higher than the national average.

In a sector that is considered to be high-risk for HIV because of the mobility of drivers, Unitrans attributed these results to a relatively stable labour force and a work environment that does not require drivers to be away from their homes overnight or for long periods.

However, a subsequent analysis of deaths in the company’s provident fund indicated a high number of AIDS-related deaths and suggested significantly high HIV infection rates among employees in some of Unitrans’ freight and passenger operations.

The company immediately galvanised a plan to transform its existing awareness programme into one that would proactively manage the risk of HIV/Aids.

“Our research showed that by taking this action we could lessen the impact substantially in terms of human lives, burden on employee benefit funds and accident insurance claims which all impact on the financial aspect of our business,” says Jo Grové, CEO of Unitrans.

The process that Unitrans is using to implement its plan is Direct AIDS Intervention, an initiative of Right to Care, a non-profit organisation, and Alexander Forbes Health Management Services.
Direct AIDS Intervention is a unique programme that provides high quality anti-retroviral treatment in a comprehensive AIDS management programme, using the expertise of the top adult HIV treatment team in South Africa as well as the best service providers.

The programme is supported by an advanced IT solution, TherapyEdge HIV, which offers total confidentiality but allows communication between all service providers to ensure that the patient treatment and administration is documented from initial testing to the final delivery of anti-retroviral drugs. This equips patients’ doctors to make informed, individualised treatment decisions regarding drug protocols and the measurement of compliance.

The programme offers a comprehensive range of intervention components, including innovative education and training, a 24-hour call centre for patient support, voluntary counselling and testing, national laboratory access, clinical counselling, world leading clinical management, access drug pricing, a comprehensive schedule of benefits, drug distribution, measures to enforce compliance and complete administration.

“Direct AIDS Intervention offers us a financially viable solution in our management of HIV/Aids impacts. Our aim is to extend the productive lives of drivers in particular,” says Unitrans human resources director, Alan Young. “The programme makes it less expensive to treat HIV/Aids than to ignore the problem, as you cannot replace the experience through skills programmes,” he says.

“We will encourage our employees to be tested and to understand that knowing that you are HIV positive is no longer a hopeless death sentence but rather the key to extending your life and caring for your partner and family.”

Without the offer of treatment, any AIDS intervention is unlikely to be successful.
Lesley Lambert.