HIV/STDs

Prevention and Education in the fight against HIV/Aids

In 2009, Anglo American Brasil continued the work it has been developing for several years against Aids. The company believes that a policy of non-discrimination, as well as in the exchange of ideas, inclusion and encouraging the participation of all involved are decisive principles for the creation of an effective global policy to fight the HIV virus and Aids. The company’s policy extends to the family members of employees and to the communities surrounding its units, both with regards to the measures of prevention and advising, and with regards to providing medication that is not available in the public health network.

In January 2009, the position of Social Responsibility Assistant was created, which was filled by Silvia Almeida, who has worked at Anglo American for 25 years and is HIV positive, in order to bring more initiatives to prevent this disease, both inside and outside the company. Silvia increased her participation as a representative of Anglo American at encounters that promote and discuss proposals related to the mitigation of the effects of Aids in the lives of workers and their families, and to debate with other companies and institutions plans to serve the HIV positive. But her main role is in actions to raise awareness and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and in the struggle against prejudice.

In July 2009, the company supported the event “Training Female HIV-positive Citizens in the Cerrado Mineiro Region”, held in Belo Horizonte. The event brought together HIV-positive women from the 27 Brazilian states to train them as disseminators of prevention work throughout the nation. Silvia Almeida is one of the founders and a member of the National Movement of HIV-Positive Women, which is leading initiatives of prevention against contamination by the HIV virus and in favor of social inclusion of HIV positive people.

In November 2009, Anglo American launched a campaign to encourage voluntary HIV testing and serological analysis through the “Fique Sabendo”, (You Should Know) program of the federal government, which offers this type of exam to the population in general. The objective of the company, through this action, is to inform its employees on the positive points that knowing their status brings in regards to fighting the virus. In addition, to encourage its employees even more to participate in the campaign, the company held a series of presentations held in Niquelândia, Goiânia, Barro Alto, Belo Horizonte, Cubatão and São Paulo.

With regards to other health-related topics, the Codemin/Barro Alto-Mina unit is holding periodic exams under the Medical Control and Occupational Health Program, and the Cubatão unit is working with accompanying, control and orientation of employees. The company has also been developing programs of Respiratory Control and the Preparation and Emergency Response Plan, for which it acquired water backpacks to be used to fight fires in the Exploration Area.