impact mitigation in the transport sector by Minister of Transport Jeff
Radebe
20 November 2007
Programme director Ngoako Bopape
The Director of the ILO Mr Ajakaye
SABCOHA CEO Mr Brad Mears
Government officials
Representatives of various HIV/Aids organisations
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
Let me start by thanking and welcoming all of you for setting aside some of
your busy schedules in order to be part of the national policy dialogue on HIV
and AIDS and impact mitigation in the transport sector. I also want to thank
the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for particularly hosting and
collaborating this very important national policy dialogue on HIV and AIDS.
Distinguished guests, this occasion clearly indicates that we have a huge
challenge in our countries and economies particularly in the transport sector
that we need to address. For any nation to have a prosperous economy and a
healthy nation, it needs to take care and to implement strategies that
safeguard all its citizens from challenges of chronic diseases such as HIV and
AIDS.
I must say that the demand in transport services and infrastructure in the
transport sector especially in the SADC region is fuelling various economic
activities some of which are leading factors in causing and spreading HIV and
AIDS.
A long history of population migration in Sub-Saharan Africa has
characterised a pattern of social relationships and economic activities. An
increased movement of people across borders at any given time means that there
is a huge demand for transport facilities. Also the countries in Sub-Saharan
Africa have maintained significant trade in the region thus further promoting
inter-country migration.
Ladies and gentlemen, most of the countries are landlocked and this
situation has ensured that road and rail transportation is an invaluable means
of transporting both people and goods for trading. In addition, air travel in
the region has become of significant convenience for business and
holidaymaking.
As the world becomes increasingly globalised, there are indications that
populations will be more integrated than ever. South Africa is part of the
bigger picture.
Most of you are aware that people in the Southern African Development Region
(SADC) region have been coming to South Africa to work in the mines, the
transport industry and various sectors of the economy for over a century. Some
of these migrant workers settled in South Africa as they established families.
Others returned to their countries of origin but not without establishing some
form of social relationships with the local people.
This pattern of social relationships continues to exist and it has become
less complex due to availability of transport and the well-developed road, rail
and air travel networks. Within South Africa there have been huge population
movements in the past 50 years or so. Most of the movements have been male
dominated, as the transport and mining industries have favoured employment of
men.
These men have been moving between their families and places of employment
with much ease and efficiency. Because of the coastline, South Africa has added
dimension to the transport industry; sailors from all over the world used South
African ports for many years. Travelling has always been accommodative of new
experiences, including diseases. This transport networking in the SADC region
is a fertile ground for the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Distinguished guests, owing to the mobility of its workforce, the transport
sector is among sectors adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS scourge. It is
recognized that mobility may lead to increased opportunities for sexual
activity with new partners and thus put people at risk of HIV infection. Many
of those working in the sector are mobile and spend time away from their
partners and wives.
In fact, long-distance truck drivers, maritime, long-distance taxi drivers,
rail and air workers spend the majority of their working life away from home.
Research conducted in South Africa revealed that 71% of long distance truck
drivers have spent 15 days or fewer in six months at home. The Bureau for
Economic Research (BER) conducted a study on behalf of the South African
Business Coalition Against Aids (SABCOH).
The study reveals that 46% of the transport companies surveyed reported that
profitability has already been affected by HIV and AIDS and 40% of transport
companies that respond to the questionnaire indicated that the virus has led to
a loss of experience and crucial skills in their companies.
But as a committed and determined government, we cannot watch these negative
developments gaining momentum than our interventions. We firmly believe that
government; business, civil society, non-governmental organisations (NGOs),
churches and the private sector can work together to fight the HIV/AIDS
scourge.
HIV/AIDS is one of the main challenges facing South Africa today. It is
estimated that of the 39.5 million people living with HIV world wide in 2006,
more than 63% were from sub-Saharan Africa. In 2005 about 5.54 million people
were estimated to be living with HIV in South Africa, with 18.8% of the adult
population (15-49 years) and about 12% of the general population affected.
Women are disproportionately affected, accounting for approximately 55% of HIV
positive people.
In 1992, the National AIDS Co-ordinating Committee of South Africa (NACOSA)
was launched with a mandate to develop a national strategy on HIV/AIDS. The
South African Cabinet endorsed this strategy in 1994. A review conducted in
1997, in line with the goals of the NACOSA plan indicated the weaknesses of the
health sector's disease-specific approach to HIV/AIDS as a challenge.
Some of the recommendations of the plan were related to increased capacity
building for implementing agencies, increased political commitment and improved
involvement and strengthen integration. Much was done to implement the
recommendations of the NACOSA plan review.
These led to the appointment of provincial AIDS co-ordinators, the
establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on AIDS, the launch of
Partnerships against AIDS by the Deputy President in 1998, the development of
the Department of Education HIV/AIDS policy for learners and educators. This
also led to the development of other national policies including the syndromic
management of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), the establishment of the
South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) in 1998, the establishment of
SANAC and the national interdepartmental committee on HIV/AIDS.
The HIV/AIDS and STI Strategic and STI Strategic Plan for South Africa
2000-2005 gave rise to the establishment and expansion of key programmes such
as health education, voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VCT), prevention of
mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART). There
has been significant growth in input to and uptake of these programmes over the
period of the HIV.AIDS and STD strategic plan 2000-2005.Another important
milestone was the approval by cabinet of the national operational plan for
comprehensive HIV/AIDS management, treatment, care and support in November
2003. This programme provided access to ARV treatment for about 250 000 people;
and as of February 2006, 204 health facilities were accredited to provide ARV
treatment.
Ladies and gentlemen, I must also stress that the new national strategic
plan on HIV/AIDS for 2007-2011, which flows from the HIV/AIDS and sexually
transmitted infections (STI) strategic plan 2000- 2005, was launched in April
2005.
The plan aims to reduce the level of infection by 50% by 2011 and also
commits to provide appropriate packages of treatment, care and support services
to 80% of HIV positive people and their families by 2011 to reduce morbidity
and mortality as well as other impacts of HIV/AIDS.
The private sector through SABCOHA has made significant progress in the area
of HIV/AIDS workplace policy and programme development. The sector has taken
wide-ranging responsibility for employees facilitating prevention of
transmission, organising treatment, care and support and safeguarding legal and
human rights. However more still needs to be done to practically and
effectively implement HIV/AIDS programmes and policies.
In the transport sector, the road freight industry adopted a proactive
approach in combating HIV/AIDS in the workplace. The trucking against AIDS
focus is a joint venture between the Road Freight Association, the Trade
Unions, and the National Bargaining Council for Road Freight Industry and the
Department of Health. Currently trucking against AIDS has four mobile wellness
centres and 12 'roadside' wellness centres at busy truck stops across the
country providing primary health services including HIV/AIDS services.
The transport sector commits itself to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in
South Africa through strengthening the application of HIV/AIDS workplace
policies, programmes and outreach programmes. This is part of the overall goal
of the strategic framework's main objectives.
The main objectives are to increase and improve knowledge attitudes, beliefs
and practices of transport workers. To mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in
workplaces through the development of HIV/AIDS policies programmes outreach
initiatives. It also aims to increase the number of companies with HIV/AIDS
workplace policies and programmes in the transport sector; and to improve the
capacity of employers and employees associations to develop and manage HIV/AIDS
programmes in the transport sector.
The framework will ensure the implementation of relevant policies,
guidelines and legislation aimed at protecting employees in the transport
sector from unfair labour practices and to ensure compliance with the code of
good practice on key aspects of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. It will also
mobilise and co-ordinate the resources to improve the sector's response to
HIVAIDS in the transport sector.
Key priorities as adapted for the transport sector from the national
strategic plan on HIV/AIDS for 2007-2011 include prevention and reducing the
rate of new infection by 50% by 2011. The intention is to ensure that the
majority of South Africans who are HIV negative remain HIV negative. The
intervention will help reduce the vulnerability to HIV infection and the
impacts of AIDS amongst transport workers. In addition there is need to
accelerate and intensify programmes to empower women on human rights including
women's rights and accelerate programmes to educate men on women's rights and
human rights.
The strategy also aims to reduce sexual transmission of HIV, by developing
behaviour change communication strategies for the prevention of sexual
transmission of HIV, adapted to different transport sectors. It must guide on
the increasing rollout of prevention programmes for key populations at high
risk in the transport sector and increase rollout of workplace prevention
programmes in the transport sector.
Minimising the risk of HIV transmission through blood and blood products and
minimising the risk of HIV transmission from occupational exposure among
transport sector workers through application of universal precaution is part to
this strategy.
Distinguished guests, it is indisputable that a healthy workforce is
lifeblood of any growing economy. Our second priority is treatment, care and
support. With this strategy in place we aim to reduce HIV/AIDS morbidity and
mortality and take the necessary precautionary steps to deal with the
socio-economic impact by providing appropriate packages of treatment, care and
support to 80% of HIV positive transport workers and their families by
2011.
This will include increasing the coverage to voluntary counselling and
testing and promoting regular HIV testing and enable people living with HIV to
take proactive steps to lead healthy and productive lives. The strategy aims to
implement research, monitoring and surveillance as an important policy and
management tool to measure progress and evaluate effectiveness of the
interventions in the transport sector. This will involve a monitoring and
evaluation framework and a research policy on behaviour change.
Stigma and discrimination continue to present challenges in the management
of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. This priority area seeks to mainstream human and
legal rights challenges in order to ensure conscious implementation of
workplace programmes aimed at addressing these challenges. It is our commitment
as government to request transport sector organizations to intensify their
resources allocation and promote effective co-ordination of all programmes and
interventions, including greater involvement of people living with
HIV/AIDS.
They should be assisted to participate meaningfully in all aspects of the
national response and also to empower youth to change behavioural patterns in
fighting this scourge.
Distinguished guests, some of the key principles of the transport sector are
the creation of a non-discriminatory work environment, development of gender
sensitive programmes and placing mainstream HIV/AIDS activities into the core
function of the organisation. Treatment, care and support should also guide the
response to HIV/AIDS in the workplace and the creation of a safe and healthy
working environment in order to prevent transmission of HIV.
Ladies and gentlemen, I must stress that in order for the transport sector
HIV/AIDS strategic plan to succeed, there is a need to identify key areas that
will drive our interventions forward. We need to note that there are complex
relationships between the transport sector and certain key situations and
conditions.
Some of these conditions or situations that are pertinent in ensuring the
success of the strategic plan include: the demographic situation, the
socio-economic situation; the psychological situation, the political situation
the institutional situation and capacity building.
Distinguished guests, our economies can only prosper through commitments to
ensure that our workers are taken care of. We are faced with huge social and
economic challenges if we do not plan ahead of time for our workforce and
various factors that enhance the continued services in various sectors. Through
platforms such as this, concerted interventions are raised that require
planning, budgeting and implementation.
I am looking forward to a very fruitful dialogue and a constructive
engagement that would bring about nothing else but positive changes for all our
people. Lets stop AIDS and keep our respective commitments and together as a
team we can achieve a winnable battle.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Transport
20 November 2007
Source: SAPA
