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In many countries HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis place enormous burdens on overtaxed health systems and contribute to the loss of key workers, as well as added costs for insurance, benefits, absenteeism, recruitment and re-training. PSI's global presence enables it to tailor corporate partnerships to reduce the toll of such health problems on workers, their families and corporate communities. PSI collaborates with some of the world's largest corporations to implement workplace health programs. PSI's Corporate AIDS Prevention (CAP) Program works with corporate partners to reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS among their workforces. In Angola, PSI is developing and implementing an employee HIV education program for ChevronTexaco focused on increasing awareness and risk reduction. The program trains peer educators, who carry out presentations and participatory activities, and help those in need to access community-based voluntary counseling services as well as additional care and support. Other CAP Program clients include ExxonMobil and the Nigerian Bottling Company. PSI's other HIV/AIDS prevention programs target general populations and at-risk groups to change behavior norms, a critical development in containing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In West Africa, the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation has underwritten broadcast costs for PSI's award-winning AIDS in the City soap opera series, conveying powerful HIV awareness and prevention messages. The Coca-Cola Company also transports PSI condoms on its trucks in southern Africa. In Swaziland and Lesotho, two of the world's four highest prevalence countries, the Pfizer Foundation is supporting a campaign to address the common misperception that "trusted partners" cannot possibly be infected with HIV and to reduce inaccurate stereotypes and stigma applied to those living with HIV/AIDS. Other HIV/AIDS prevention partners in southern Africa include Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck & Co., and members of the U.S.-Angola Chamber of Commerce, including Esso, ExxonMobil, British Petroleum, Texaco Panama, ChevronTexaco and Marathon Oil Company. PSI also actively supports and collaborates with the The Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS to reduce the impact of HIV worldwide. Malaria, the second most common cause of death in Africa, causes frequent and extended absences from work. In Guinea, PSI has partnered with the Alcoa Foundation to provide its workers and their families with insecticide-treated mosquito nets to protect against malaria-carrying night-biting mosquitoes. Alcoa is also supporting the distribution of nets to pregnant women and children under five, two groups at high risk of malaria-related mortality. Contaminated water is another leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing economies. Unsafe water leads to increased rates of enteric disease, higher mortality rates in children and more severe bouts of malaria. For persons infected with HIV, safe water can prevent diarrhea that exacerbates opportunistic infections. PSI collaborates with Procter & Gamble to provide sachets of PUR water purification powder to at-risk populations in Uganda and Kenya. PUR is lighter and thus costs less to ship than conventional liquid water purifiers and also has a longer shelf life. |
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