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Professional staff also affected by HIV/AIDS

    JOHANNESBURG

    A leading IT company in South Africa has expressed concern over the high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among its "white-collar" workers.

    The results of a voluntary workplace HIV testing programme at T-Systems showed that 7.2 percent of its 929 staff were HIV-positive.

    The chief executive officer, Wolfgang Jakob, said in a statement that he was "more than shocked" by results showing that so many managers, technicians and administrative staff were infected.

    An added fear was that the figures were heavily distorted, since 22 percent of the workers declined testing, and many of those probably already knew they were HIV-positive.

    "My executive committee is devastated because this is a high percentage, given the education rate and the fact that these are highly skilled people who cost a lot of money to train," Jakob added.

    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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