By Nangamso Mabindla
16 November 2005

A R4,4-million initiative to combat HIV and Aids in the Eastern Cape was launched in East London on Tuesday, 15 November.

The initiative, which is a public private partnership, will help with the management of HIV and Aids in small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in Buffalo City, the Eastern Cape and the rest of the country.

It is a partnership between car manufacturer DaimlerChrysler South Africa (DCSA), the Border Kei Chamber of Business, the Duetsche Investitions und Entwicklungsgesellschft (DEG) and local government.

Joachim Follman from DCSA's East London plant said the company was committed to fighting the pandemic in the province.

"HIV and Aids are obstacles to sustainable development in South Africa. Because of the prevalence of the scourge, businesses are threatened as well. We as businesses need to stand up and do something about this scourge [and] this initiative aims to do just that," he said.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world, with more than 6,3 million people estimated to be HIV positive.

Follman said the main objectives of the initiative were to develop sustainable solutions to deliver consistently comprehensive HIV and Aids prevention, care, support, treatment and risk management services at SMME level.

Small and medium-sized businesses absorb more than half the people formally employed in the private sector and contribute about 42 percent of the country's gross domestic product. HIV and Aids significantly affect these businesses both directly and indirectly.

"The second [objective] is to strengthen comprehensive primary health care services in the public and private sector," he said. "We hope that this pilot project goes a long way in helping us respond to HIV and Aids and also helps to improve the treatment of people with Aids."

Executive director of the Border Kei chamber Les Holbrook said businesses needed to be pro-active when it came to the fight against HIV and Aids.

"We need to ensure that businesses make a meaningful contribution to the fight against this scourge. I am really excited that we are launching this initiative today because it encourages partnership between the public and private sector in the fight against this pandemic."

Michael Fischer of the DEG echoed Holbrook's words, saying businesses needed to look at HIV and Aids more seriously and show their commitment to fighting it.

"I hope this initiative will encourage the private sector and that our pilot becomes successful. If it is, then we will roll it out beyond the borders of Buffalo City to the rest of the province and indeed the rest of South Africa," he said.

Mayor Sindisile Maclean pledged the City's support of the initiative. "In order to be successful in this fight, we need to forge partnerships with all stakeholders. I am happy to say that Buffalo City will support this initiative and help in ensuring that it is a success."