Anglogold Ashanti urges leadership action in fight against HIV/AIDS

Tarkwa (W/R), Dec 3, GNA - Management and Staff of Anglogold Ashanti Limited at the weekend joined the world to celebrate World Aids Day with a renewed promise to continue to be in the forefront of the fight against the spread of the disease.

Mr David Kwesi Renner, Managing Director of Anglogold Ashanti (Iduapriem) Limited, who made the pledge at the commemoration of the Day at the Iduapriem Mine in the Western Region, called on other organisations and communities to be in the forefront against the fight against the epidemic.

Mr Renner said in pursuing the commitment of Anglogold Ashanti Limited to fight the scourge, the company in August this year launched its HIV/AIDS Voluntary Counselling Awareness Campaign as an initial step to fight it.

He outlined Anglogold Ashanti's HIV/AIDS programme under the acronym SAVE, signifying Safe Sex, Access to Care, Voluntary Counselling and Testing, and Education, adding that over the years, a lot of effort had been expended under the concept to combat the pandemic. "Apart from the fact that VCT paves the way for the care of those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, it also provides avenues for outreach and support programmes for our communities. He said the company had outlined its group policy to consolidate the efforts this year through the training of 13 Peer Counsellors, 12 Task Force Members and 13 Community Peer Educators. "Our records also show that from a very modest figure of 13 VCTs in 2006, we have leapfrogged to 469 in the number of people who have tested under the VCT in 2007." With regard to the theme for the Day, "Leadership, Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise", he said the management of Anglogold Ashanti called for leadership challenge to keep the promise. "We have already accepted the leadership challenge and our AIDS policy clearly affirms our conviction," he noted, adding that their achievements to date clearly showed how leadership could affect the success of the fight against the HIV/AIDS scourge. Mr. Renner expressed appreciation to the Health Safety and Environment and the Human Resource Departments, the HIV/AIDS Task Force, Peer Counsellors and friendly partners from the communities for being in the forefront of the campaign. 03 Dec. 07