Condoms in Pay Slips

- One Company's Response to the Threat of HIV/Aids

The devastation of HIV/AIDS on the workforce of an entire country and or companies has been well documented since the human killer hit the world nearly three decades ago.

Recently surveys indicate that the disease is spreading fast and will negatively impact on the ability of countries and companies to survive in the increasingly competitive global market.

Countries and companies have been compelled to launch national and corporate strategies in response to the threat of the disease. In the case of Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) Ltd, the management of the Obuasi mine has decided to include condoms in the pay slip of its staff at the end of every month.

During a trip to Obuasi, a team of financial and economic journalists pressed the management of the Obuasi mine to explain the impact of HIV/AIDS on its workforce. The management agreed that, like every company AGC has had some level of HIV/AIDS infections among its workers.

"In a bid to bring the disease under control management decided to introduce condoms in the payslips of all workers", says Daniel Owiredu, Managing Director of Obuasi Mine.

Owiredu explained that management took that decision because anytime it is the end of the month women of all shapes and colours, especially the 'APUSKELEKE' type from all corners of the country descend on Obuasi to take their share of the workers' bonanza.

He said the condoms are therefore to remind the workers that just as money is the sources of happiness, it can also bring sorrow and pain. Condoms could therefore prevent unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

The policy seems to be doing the trick. According to information provided by Dr. Emmanuel Kwabena Ackon, Medical Services Manager of AGC the level of infections recorded at the Obuasi and Anyanfuri Mines indicate a declining trend. For instance the level of infections of staff and their dependants and private patients was 271 in 1998, 289 in 1999, 249 in 2000, 164 in 2001 and 62 in 2002.

Deaths from HIV/AIDS were 50 in 1998, 52 in 1999 38 in 2000,34 in 2001 and 17 in 2002. According to AGC's health statistics malaria accounts for 30-40 percent out patient attendance at its hospital at Obuasi and clinics at other mine locations. Malaria also tops the ten cases of morbidity. The others are rheumatism and joint pains, upper respiratory tract infections, pregnancy related complications, accidents, hypertension, diarrhoea diseases, eye infection diabetes and diseases of the oral cavity.

Overall, malaria is the most commonly reported diseases in all health institutions countrywide. It accounts for 40 percent of out patient and 25 percent of deaths in children under five. In general malaria accounts for the highest loss of man-hours at many work places across the country.