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AIDS awareness programmes rejected in the workplace

    JOHANNESBURG

    South Africa's top companies are spending millions of rands on HIV/AIDS awareness programmes in the hope of managing the business risks posed by the disease, but the response from workers is disappointing, says industry consultant Diane Ritson.

    Although companies had introduced voluntary counselling and testing programmes, Ritson said, "many workers did not take part in testing".

    Anglo-American for example, began providing free AIDS drugs to its workers 18 months ago, but had been disappointed by the slow uptake of their voluntary counselling and testing programmes.

    Ritson told the South African newspaper, Business Day, that despite being well-educated and already aware of the dangers of AIDS, by avoiding testing programmes workers were not taking responsibility for their lifestyles.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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