Aids Learning Network

Purpose of the Indaba

• To share information on the work that is being done within Government generally and within the DPSA and Action projects specifically around the management of HIV/AIDS in the workplace.
• To learn from the experiences of other employers and experts on high impact and cost effective strategies to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on members of staff.
• To prompt innovative thinking on strategies that can be employed by the departments collectively and individually to minimise the impact of HIV/AIDS on service delivery, service benefits and on public servants and their families.

HIV/AIDS Indaba

The conference was chaired by Mr Sipho Mabusela of Metropolitan Group. In his opening and welcoming remarks he emphasised the need for all business corporations to come together and support government as an employer to combat HIV/AIDS. That without public servants, our businesses will be robbed of quality service delivery.

HIV/AIDS is one key business threat to our economy therefore, we need to come together and forge partnerships to put meaningful interventions on this threat. This is not about marketing or profit but true patriotism in realising our democracy being threatened by the scourge.

DPSA and government at large need our support more than ever, especially as the largest employer. DPSA has launched the Impact and Action Project on HIV/AIDS in the Public service. The project is over 20 months, and is yielding some results. Within the Project, there are several multi-departmental Task Teams with expert consultants on each.

The breakaway groups reflect on the work that has been done by these Task Teams from January-September 2001. There was a breakaway session where three workgroups discussed and came out with recommendations on the way forward on three focus areas as set out by the DPSA's AIDS Task Team in the form of documents and presentations. The focus areas were as follows:

1. Workplace Policy Framework
2. Conditions of Service
3. Capacity Building and Support

The mandate of these workgroups was to (I) discuss the work that the task team did so far (ii) analyse and make recommendations on the way forward and the best means for maximum delivery (iii) share ideas, knowledge and experiences regarding workplace perspectives.

• Programme
• Report

Presentations

• HIV/AIDS Standard
• TB and HIV the Facts - Ian Mackenzie; TADSA
• HIV awareness & Education - People Management
• Health Care Funding & HIV - Dr Leighton McDonald; Mx Group
• HIV/ AIDS business as usual - Stephen Kramer
• Unanimous testing and VCT - Eskom
• Metropolitan - Wendy Coetzee; Web content & Knowledge Manager, Virtual Services Group
• Staging & Treatment of HIV