National Action Award: Abbott / Abbott Fund
Workplace Winner: Chevron
Community Winner: Coca-Cola China
Tuberculosis Winner: Eli Lilly and Company
Testing and Counseling Winner: Eskom
Leadership Winner: HBO
Malaria Winner: Marathon Oil Corporation
Core Competency Winner: Standard Chartered

Yet again, the judges have made their choices. To honor the winning companies—Chevron, Standard Chartered, Eli Lilly and Company, Coca-Cola China, Abbott / Abbott Fund, Eskom, Marathon Oil Corporation, and HBO—demonstrating outstanding business action on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in 2007, GBC conducted interviews with eight individuals who could really speak to the creativity and efficacy defining the0se winning programs.

» View profiles of the winning company programs

2007 National Action Award: Abbott and Abbott Fund

Reeta Roy, Vice President, Abbott Fund; Divisional Vice President, Global Citizenship and Policy, Abbott

How can businesses, governments and NGOs work together successfully?

They can and they have. What we’ve found is that successful partnerships are relationships focused on shared interests and goals, and built on trust. In the area of global health, each party has to be clear about what it wants to achieve, its expectations of others, and what it is willing to commit to accomplish its goals. As in the case of personal relationships, partnerships are dynamic and evolve. So, there must be a willingness to listen and a flexibility to try new approaches. That's why public-private partnerships, like the Abbott Fund-Government of Tanzania collaboration, are an important part of the global health solution.

For the Tanzania partnership, were there any significant challenges the organizations had to overcome before they could work together successfully?

Both partners had to learn about each other and to develop a relationship. When this effort began seven years ago, it was the first time the Ministry of Health had worked with a global corporation. And, it was Abbott Fund’s first partnership with a government in Africa to address HIV/AIDS. We began with community programs in rural southwestern Tanzania to reduce stigma and enable families and villages to keep children orphaned by HIV in school. With growing successes and trust, our partnership expanded to what is now a national program in more than 90 sites that is strengthening medical and laboratory facilities, training health workers, mobilizing home-based care volunteers and working with communities. Along the way, there was ongoing discussion about priorities, how best to tackle issues, and what each partner could best contribute. For example, at Muhimbili Hospital, the Ministry of Health enabled our partnership to invest in executive and management development, and hospital administration and IT systems. This approach increased efficiencies and revenue and created a patient information system, which has improved patient care. At the time, this approach was novel, and had never been done before at the hospital.

What are the most important lessons Abbott has learned in terms of working with the Tanzanian Ministry of Health?

Leadership and a personal commitment to success by both partners are essential in any ambitious endeavor. This partnership has succeeded because of the personal involvement of the Minister of Health and our CEO. Strong leaders are open, good listeners, willing to consider and to challenge ideas, demanding of results, as well as pragmatic about "getting things done."

We also recognized that our commitment has to be long-term in light of the magnitude of the HIV challenge and needs in the health sector. Results may be measured quarterly or yearly, but lasting change will take generations. When asked by other companies, I often share experiences about the value of getting a first-hand understanding of needs on the ground – erase pre-conceived assumptions. Be flexible, be open and be ready to shift gears based on what you learn. And, be creative and be clear about what your company is prepared to contribute – from time, funding, technical expertise and products to a willingness to influence and advocate with others.

What do you consider to be Abbott's greatest accomplishments in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Tanzania?

Without question, our partnership’s greatest accomplishment has been improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of people – from the children who have been educated and families benefiting from micro-loans, to the more than 150,000 people who have received VCT services. Today, more than 30 percent of people on anti-retrovirals in Tanzania are receiving care and treatment services from hospitals that have benefited from the partnership’s support.

Most critically, our partnership is creating sustainability. We are investing in people and institutions, including Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania's top teaching and referral hospital, and more than half of the country’s regional hospitals. These institutions are the pillars of the health care system. And, at the village level, we are investing in schools, clinics and community organizations. They are the pillars of society.

My hope is that our partnership encourages and, perhaps inspires, other companies, governments and non-governmental organizations to see that when there’s commitment, dedicated effort and passion, great achievements are possible.

2007 Workplace Winner: Chevron

Ana Sambimbya, Health Services Provider, Chevron

Prior to joining Chevron, had you worked at other companies that did not have superlative HIV/AIDS workplace programs? Please describe what that was like and if having worked at a company that ignored the disease made you particularly interested in coming to Chevron.

Chevron is the first company that I have worked for that is concerned with the prevention of HIV/AIDS. It would be good for other companies to follow this noble example, as this would help to reduce the number of victims of this virus/disease.  As a urse, it has been very rewarding and encouraging to help my patients with HIV and I am very proud to work for the company.

Chevron firmly states that it will not conduct pre-employment HIV testing. Can you explain why this is important and how it affects worker morale?

It is a very positive attitude becauses human being have social, psychological, emotional, personal and family needs. If one denies a person employment just because s/he carries the virus then one is indirectly denying the right to life and contributing to the deterioration of the health of that person. We encourage others to take the test and, as you are all aware, the virus is only transmitted through contaminated blood, mother/child transmission and sexual contact. And it’s a fact that if controlled, one can live for 10, 20, 30 or even more years. Additionally, tests should be carried out in a confidential and voluntary manner according to the law in force in the country.

What role do you play in Chevron’s program?

Right now I’m an Educator of Couples and a Counsellor and Trainer in the Programme "Life This Way". I participated as a monitor in the training of Educators of Couples and Counsellors of the Company. I have been a member of the Task Force since the implementation of the programme "Life this Way" in Angola.

I have been working as a voluntary counsellor since 1999 at a time when it was taboo to speak about the issue. I counsel on testing and have nothing else to offer except my advice, as one is not yet talking of the treatment, which almost made me give up.

As an obstetrics nurse I advise HIV-positive pregnant women and their partners and their new-born babies to have a test by the age of 18 months, in order to certify whether they are infected or not. This is not an easy task because even if I don’t want to, as a human being I often end up becoming emotionally involved. When Chevron launched the programme "Life this Way" in 2003, I felt as if I had won the lottery. I wasted no time or opportunity to speak about HIV, particularly to young people and adolescents. Apart from the sad feelings, I’ve also had some very happy moments when, for example, I receive negative results, particularly of babies whose parents are HIV-positive. Last week, I carried out a test on the last baby of all those that I had been following-up and none of them was positive.

I have already counselled hundreds and tested others but I must admit that I am frightened whenever I have to do these tests - after all it is the only way of knowing our blood status.

How does Chevron raise awareness about HIV/AIDS?

Chevron has made voluntary counselling services available in all Chevron clinics throughout Angola. We counsel the workers and their dependents to adhere to this programme, in order to help them change their behaviour and to better plan for a safer life, helping them to evaluate the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and clarifying any doubts whilst providing emotional support to protect their health. The Company has organized various events–recreational and cultural activities that place emphasis on the importance of HIV prevention.

How does the workplace program fight stigma and discrimination? Are employees comfortable revealing their HIV status?

To prevent stigma and discrimination at the workplace, we have adopted a training system in which discrimination and stigma are widely discussed to enable everyone to try and put themselves in the place of the person affected with this disease.  Whenever possible, bring along an HIV-positive member of the community to share the experiences of an affected person. This has proved to be very positive. As yet, I do not know of any employee who has revealed his/her blood status because the whole process is treated in a confidential manner.

Chevron’s program places a strong emphasis on the community. How does the company make sure information reaches worker dependants and spouses?

We disseminate information on HIV prevention to the community through cultural educational activities, seminars organized by the Churches and schools and carried out by Couple Counsellors. We carried out activities on International Day of the Child (1 June 2006) and on Africa Day (May 2007) at the workers housing complex in Luanda and Cabinda.  I personally take part in the organization of these activities and often as the leader, particularly in activities relating to World Aids Day (1 December).  

During social activities in the community (soccer games, St Sylvester race, etc.), we participate and take the opportunity to distribute our publicity material in the form of pamphlets, brochures, t-shirts, caps, etc. We are thinking of preparing some of the workers’ dependents to be Couple Educators in the communities where they live.

2007 Community Winner: Coca-Cola China Beverages Limited

Steve Chan, Chairman, Coca-Cola China

You have been with the Coca-Cola Company since 1979. What has shaped your personal commitment to social justice? When did HIV/AIDS first enter on your agenda?

Our China business gave me a great opportunity to get involved in various community programs. Being able to help people is definitely the most rewarding emotion. I am pleased that I was able to lead our China Company to engage in community work since 1993. Both the company and I are gratified of our work and accomplishment in this area. For me personally, it has been a joy to have this opportunity to be involved in HIV/AIDS which had been troubling China for quite a long time. It went through dramatic evolutionary stages involving denial, cover-up, abuse, scandal, and of course human tragedy.

However, similar to China’s economic development, social development takes time also. As China’s leadership leads the country towards becoming a more open, equal and just place, sensitive issues such as HIV/AIDS finally got the attention and help it needs. And that is when I decided the timing was right for us to get involved.

In 2003, Coca-Cola China began its partnership with the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STDs and AIDS, one of the largest AIDS foundations in China. Entering the national discourse on this disease, which is still highly stigmatized, takes courage. Did the company have any concerns or reservations in forming this partnership and addressing HIV/AIDS in China?

In the early stage of evaluating our involvement in HIV/AIDS prevention, I did have some reservations. The obvious questions were: Was the Chinese government uncommitted or unwilling to take this issue on? Would the government or local NGOs be comfortable working with someone like Coca-Cola and also with a beverage company? Would the public, our Chinese employees and most importantly our consumers have negative views and perception of our involvement?

Needless to say, as it turned out, the answers were "No" for all three questions. Looking back, I must say we made the right decision to take the first step and I am happy with the progress we have made so far. However, much more remains to be done and I do hope more businesses can join us in the fight against HIV/AIDS in China.

As one of the most widely recognized brands in the world, Coca-Cola has the unique opportunity to promote social change through its high visibility. How can companies without this prominent public profile respond to HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria?

For any company to respond to any social cause, the first thing to do is to take action, then money, people, efforts come later. A prominent name helps but taking action is the key.

An ILO report estimates that China could lose up to five million people in its labor force by 2015 if increased efforts are not made to fight the spread of HIV. Coca-Cola recently announced that it plans to distribute about 100,000 decks of playing cards with information about HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria prevention to Chinese migrant workers—of which there are over 200 million—in July. What are your expectations for the project?

The link between HIV/AIDS and population mobility has been well established in China. Because migrant workers are isolated from the local social networks, they are prone to engage in high-risk sexual activities that might lead to the spread of HIV. Increasing HIV infection among China’s migrant population means that HIV can travel through the migration routes into China’s major urban centers as well as the countryside.

Our expectation is straightforward. Through the distribution of the cards, we hope to educate as many migrant workers working in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Nanjing, helping them understand the urgency of the epidemic and learn the basic HIV prevention knowledge. We hope more migrant workers will practice safe sex and share their newfound knowledge with other members of their respective communities. Second, we will get more people involved by utilizing the university students we sponsored and our staff to be volunteers to distribute the playing cards and spread the message around. Lastly, since this is the first year of the program, we hope to gradually raise the program’s awareness through increasing external communication and mass media interaction. I hope eventually this may help the Foundation to enlist more company sponsors.

However, our project is only one initiative per se. I believe much more has to be done especially by the local government, the local communities and especially the many companies that employ and accommodate these workers.

Last August, Coca-Cola China sponsored a Chinese delegation to South Africa to establish an international platform for the exchange of HIV/AIDS prevention practices. Upon return, Coca-Cola China subsequently developed an AIDS orphan care program in Yunnan Province. What important lessons from your HIV/AIDS initiative could you share with other countries?

The success of our AIDS Impacted Orphan Care community program is attributed to three key factors. First, the Chinese government is committed to supporting the work of the private sector in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Therefore, for grass-roots projects such as our orphan care program, we have unwavering local government support.

Second, we have a very reliable partner. The Chinese Foundation for Prevention of STDs and AIDS enjoys close links with the governments at all levels, which provide them with strong, broad based local networks. As such they can mobilize social resources to improve the efficiency and the impact of our program. Also, we rely on our local partner, Ruili Women Association, to fulfill the day-to-day responsibilities of caring for the orphans, delivering monthly financial subsidies, and monitoring their progress.

Third, we applied the learning we got from the visits to South African orphanages. The South Africa experience impressed upon us the critical needs of helping such orphans and that dedicated and conscientious involvement and engagement are necessary in order to make a difference to these children. Therefore, in implementing our local program, we emphasize the deep personal aspect. Besides help and subsidy, we even provide these orphans with soy milk powder from our own Health Journey Project. Therefore, I truly believe that it’s not really just the money, but the thought, care and consideration that go with it.

2007 Tuberculosis Winner: Eli Lilly & Company

Judith Oulton, CEO, International Council of Nurses

Unlike HIV/AIDS, which receives a great deal of attention, tuberculosis efforts are often inhibited by lack of visibility and not enough political leadership. How does this problem manifest itself and what are the implications?

HIV/AIDS is a much newer disease about which less is known. TB, having been around for centuries, and known to be preventable and curable, is less frightening for societies, despite the fact that every year, about two million people die from TB, and another 9 million are infected. In 1993, the World Health Organization, (WHO) declared TB a global emergency, and today it is an important focus of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

We are fortunate to have accessible, inexpensive treatments that are effective in up to 95% of cases. At the same time there is increasing global concern about drug resistance. There are an estimated 400,000 new cases of MDR-TB every year.

Clearly, this pandemic requires a massive mobilization of people and resources. Governments’ role was outlined in the TB resolution endorsed by the World Health Assembly in May this year. Agreed activities aim to accelerate progress towards halving TB deaths and prevalence by 2015 through full implementation of the Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015. As well, WHO Member States are urged to develop and implement long-term plans for TB prevention and control, in line with the WHO Stop TB Strategy.

Many organisations are supporting prevention, treatment and research into TB at a national and international level and are now working together (e.g. CDC, WHO, IFRC, PIH, etc.) None is more important than the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership and Lily’s funding and programmes with the shared goal of saving lives by preventing and treating multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

As a nurse, how did you become interested in TB?

I grew up in an era where TB held much mystery and stigma. People with it went "to the san" - meaning sanatoriums and you were cautioned to stay away from some families and their children. As a student nurse I was tested and received BCG though still with limited understanding of the disease. My interest grew when close family friends were infected and as I encountered patients in hospital and began to realise how easily lives could be changed and resources saved with knowledge and political will.

Today, working for the International Council of Nurses (ICN) one cannot ignore the immensity of the problem, representing as we do more than 13 million nurses and 129 countries. Moreover, about 3 million nurses work or are registered in the 22 countries with the highest burden of TB. Nurses are usually the first - and frequently the only - health care professionals to see a patient with TB in high burden countries. Therefore, a big impact on TB control and care can be realized by strengthening nurses’ expertise.

How do the International Council of Nurses and Eli Lilly work together to combat tuberculosis?

ICN and nurses on the ground can play a key role in prevention, in delivering therapy, improving compliance and helping reduce suffering and control resistance. Lily understood this and reached out to ICN to engage nurses as part of their commitment to prevent and control MDR-TB.· Lilly provided an unrestricted educational grant to support ICN in developing TB guidelines and a training of trainers program for nurses in high burden countries so that they will be mobilized, motivated and equipped for TB and MDR-TB.

Thanks to this vital training program nurses in Malawi, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa and Swaziland have been equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver improved prevention, case detection, care and treatment for the individuals and communities living with TB prevention and care.

An online Global TB/MDR-TB Resource Center has been launched to provide multiple tools for nurses in treating and caring for patients. These include:TB guidelines, fact sheets on TB in the workplace and TB stigma, discussion rooms for health care providers, a patient talk forum and policy statement.

The Lilly Partnership is the only philanthropic MDR-TB program that combines early detection and treatment, health care worker training, surveillance, community and patient support, and transfer of drug manufacturing technology to companies in developing countries. Why are all of these elements essential to a successful partnership?

You cannot successfully abate or eliminate this disease and, as importantly, minimise its impact on patients without the full gamut of players. Addressing one element alone is not enough. Providing the technology without understanding who, how, why and how they are needed, simply wastes resources. Only an integrated approach involving a full range of private and public players - health care professionals, academia, patients, advocacy groups, governments, international organizations, donors and the pharmaceutical industry can address the expanding global crisis of TB and MDR-TB.

Our experience is that partnership enhanced collaboration on the ground extends resources, influence and outcomes. For example, in South Africa, ICN and the International Hospital Federation cross-fertilised their training of nurses and hospital managers to ensure a more robust implementation of the new skills and knowledge. In Russia, we were able to integrate into the Partners and Health programme in Tomsk, where they badly needed nurse training programmes. And later this year all the partners will be delivering an inter-professional workshop on health care worker and workplace safety at the Union conference in South Africa.

Lilly’s TB program also emphasizes that it is important for health workers to go on to train others in health centres, hospitals, and universities. Why is it important to share information and promote knowledge dissemination?

We know that access to current information is essential to effective, prevention, treatment and care. We also know that education and training funds are wasted if we do not ensure sustainability, and only quality initiatives, championed locally and provided regularly, are truly sustainable.

That is why the training of trainers approach is ideal. It equips the health care provider to train others working in their facilities regionally.

Through this programme, more than 100 nurse trainers have been equipped with the capacity to train other nurses. Each nurse has committed to preparing a further 20 nurses. This means that in the space of just 2 years a minimum of 2,000 nurses can be trained.

The ICN training of trainers program provides nurses with powerful knowledge skills, tools and practice to develop and implement effective training programmes to build nursing capacity in TB/MDR-TB.

  2007 Testing and Counseling Winner: Eskom Holdings Ltd.

Radhi Vandayar, Wellness Client Services Manager, Eskom/ICAS

Eskom has helped more than 20 South African companies create their own HIV/AIDS programs. What are the most important components of an effective and sustainable testing and counseling program?

Components of an effective and sustainable testing and counselling program include the following:

1. Visible and felt leadership

People trust and believe what people in leadership say and do. When leadership has bought into the program they will drive it and put in the necessary resources to promote it. At Eskom, HIV/AIDS is one of the top ten priorities that are being managed for its own sustainability. For any program to work, it has to be driven from the "top."

2. Confidentiality

  • The results of the HIV test are strictly confidential and cannot be shared with anyone without the client’s consent. This includes spouses/partners and employers.
  • If confidentiality is not maintained the counselor could be charged legally or a complaint of a breach of ethics could be laid against the counselor.
  • All our VCT is run by ICAS (an external service provider) and this has really assisted the employees to feel comfortable that the employer will not know their status.
  • The counselors used by ICAS are qualified psychologists.

3. Consent

  • It is crucial that the client gives consent for the test to be done and it is best if this consent is obtained in writing. It is consent that makes the ‘Voluntary" in VCT.
  • Testing requires ‘informed consent’, meaning that the client has been fully informed and understands the test and its implications, giving consent with understanding.

4. Effective counselling

  • Counseling is provided both before and after the test.
  • During counseling the person is given as much information as possible on HIV/AIDS . Issues covered during pre and post test counseling include amongst others prevention methods available (irrespective of the outcome of the results) and disclosure. The person should feel cared for and supported at all times

5. Clear objectives for testing

  • Important to share the following with people on the importance of doing an HIV test:
  • It is the one time individuals are in a one-to-one situation to raise and discuss important issues regarding HIV in their own lives.
  • So that people who are HIV negative will be motivated to take appropriate steps to remain HIV negative
  • So that people who are HIV positive will take steps to ensure they do not infect others, are monitored and treated appropriately
  • So that pregnant women who are HIV positive can decide on the options available for them to reduce MTCT
  • "The sooner HIV is managed, the less costly is the treatment and the longer the person is likely to live"

6. Incorporation of VCT within the wellness program

VCT should not be isolated from the components of "well being" and this will help to "normalise" HIV/AIDS within the workplace.

All VCT at Eskom is done by an external service provider, ICAS, to guarantee confidentiality and ensure qualified emotional support. How does using an external service provider encourage greater uptake of VCT?

Employees feel comfortable that since it is done externally the employer will not know their status. Employees fear discrimination and even if all our policies are non discriminatory, that discomfort is there all the time. Since the incorporation of ICAS as our external service provider, VCT uptake has improved and employees’ trust is enhanced.

Before any VCT campaign, ICAS holds a mass briefing to explain the purpose of and the process for testing. What concerns have participants expressed?

  • Is the rapid test used reliable?
  • What test will be used? Blood or saliva?
  • Reluctance to being "pricked" especially men
  • Who will know the results? Is it really confidential?
  • Why is Eskom concerned about HIV/AIDS as an employer?
  • What are the resources available should an employee test positive?
  • What will happen if the test is positive?
  • How does the medical insurance assist in registering an HIV positive employee for chronic disease management and ART if need be?
  • What about the spouses and dependants (VCT at Eskom does encourage spouse testing)

Stigma significantly impedes HIV testing. How is Eskom addressing this issue?

  • Non discriminatory policies and procedures exist and are easily accessed by all employees.
  • Discrimination and stigmatisation is not tolerated at Eskom
  • We have incorporated VCT within our wellness program.
  • VCT is available throughout the year versus only during annual VCT campaigns
  • HIV/AIDS is discussed at staff meetings and is a standing item on most agendas at Eskom, including the "top 200 meetings"
  • Eskom has a support group with employees living with HIV. This support group called ELWHA (Employees Living With HIV/AIDS) have reached out to employees that have tested positive and have assisted them greatly in coping and embarking on the "journey" with them.
  • They assist them with treatment adherence and compliance and show the other employees that positive living is the way to go within Eskom. We have seen more and more employees living openly with HIV/AIDS within Eskom and not fired because of their HIV status

Eskom guarantees confidentiality and job security. What specifically does the company do to promote this message and build employee trust?

  • Advocacy of our existing non discriminatory Policies and Procedures
  • Available information on HIV/AIDS on all our internal communication mediums (Eskom news, intranet and the HIV/AIDS toolkit)
  • Guaranteed confidentiality by incorporating ICAS as an external service provider doing the test and offering the 24/7, 365 days psychosocial support for all those affected and infected by the HIV virus.
  • Eskom supports the support group (ELWHA) as these employees have disclosed and are living openly with HIV and they were not fired from work. That surely helps employees gain the trust that is so necessary for the success of the program

How does Eskom address the broader sociological issues-substance abuse, intimate partner violence- that fuel the spread of HIV/AIDS?

  • The issue of Substance abuse is spoken about a lot within Eskom and is linked as well to issues around Safety.
  • This month for instance communiqué was sent throughout the company, highlighting substance abuse and what employees need to watch out for and what to do is they have substance abuse issues.
  • There is available 24/7, 365 days psychosocial support that is available telephonically and sessions arranged for face to face counselling for all employees who had problems that lead them to abuse substances.
  • Our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) includes substance abuse management and rehabilitation. Eskom pays for the employees’ rehabilitation costs
  • Gender violence issues are spoken about at formal and informal sessions.
  • Eskom is one of the companies partaking in the campaign called "16 days activism against violence to women and children." Here issues on gender violence are addressed and discussed
  • Courses on "anger management" are available for all to access and attend

The Eskom/SABCOHA Supply-Chain initiative helps small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the supply-chain roll out workplace programs. Why is it important to extend services to this population?

Eskom has identified HIV/AIDS as one of the risks to manage as it operates in a country that has one of the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the world. Eskom has an enormous task to build more Power Stations to be able to meet the energy demands that are forever rising in South Africa. Suppliers can be worst hit by the pandemic if not properly managed and this will affect the sustainability of the supply chain to Eskom and jeopardise the Capital expansion program. BER survey 2005, did allude to the fact that most SMME (Small Micro Medium Enterprises) do not have any thing in place in the management of HIV/AIDS. Since Eskom has a comprehensive HIV/AIDS workplace program, it made sense then to extend it to the suppliers to assist them in managing HIV/AIDS within their companies.

  2007 Leadership Winner: HBO

Richard Plepler, Co-President, HBO

Over the past two decades HBO has produced important documentaries, movies, and programming highlighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in an effort to raise awareness, undo stigma, and encourage people to get tested. How has your personal background, from serving as an aide to Senator Christopher Dodd to your work with the Council on Foreign Relations and as a member of FINCA’s international steering committee, shaped your commitment to HIV/AIDS?

I’ve always had a deep connection to public policy and world affairs. As you note, I began my career working for Senator Dodd and had a front row seat in observing both the opportunities and challenges of the body politic. It was clear to me when I got into the entertainment business that there were an array of ways our industry could shine a light on the issues and subjects that needed national attention.

Even when "AIDS fatigue" discouraged some media companies from covering the epidemic, HBO continued to educate its viewers about the disease. How has HBO been able to maintain a critical view on the media’s important role in addressing the epidemic and if you experienced any challenges in promoting a corporate response to HIV/AIDS, how did you overcome them?

HBO is in the business of telling stories, and we’re at our best when we explore those stories that are often ignored. The case of HIV/AIDS is a perfect example. When we began looking at this issue 1987 no one was giving real time and energy to explaining the implications of this plague. The movies and documentaries which we’ve made -- from "And the Band Played On" to "Pandemic: Facing AIDS" to "Angels in America" to our most recent "Life Support" -- are our small contributions to elevating the national conversation. The challenge, of course, is to do it in a way that is accessible. If we do our job well, that allows us to have a real impact.

HBO has, as you put it, "a special opportunity to make sure that important stories are given a voice." With the growing feminization of HIV/AIDS making women the new face of the epidemic, how is HBO ensuring that women’s voices are made a priority?

A big part of our work here at HBO is listening carefully to our talented filmmakers and artists who are really the source of our best work. We did that when Nelson George approached us with "Life Support," a film, inspired by his sister’s life, which takes a personal look at the impact of HIV on women in the African-American community. And we did it with Darrell James Roodt and Anant Singh when they brought us "Yesterday," a tale of the struggles of a young South African mother who has been diagnosed with AIDS. There are many examples. Through our films, we strive to put a human face on the AIDS crisis.

This past March, HBO premiered Life Support, which draws attention to the fact that African-Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. To maximize the film’s impact, HBO partnered with GBC, the NBA and the Kaiser Family Foundation to produce a series of public service announcements (PSAs) to promote HIV testing. Why are partnerships key to tacking the epidemic?

There are people who simply know more about this subject than we do. We reached out to them and luckily for us, they responded. We wouldn’t have dreamed of doing this alone. Each entity brought its own unique assets and capabilities to the table, along with a tremendous amount of passion and willingness to get it right.

These PSAs are scheduled to launch June 13th at GBC’s annual gala. How do you foresee their impact in the community? What are some potential obstacles to their efficacy?

Hopefully we’ll have done something that resonates with core audiences here and around the world. We’re hoping to get maximum exposure with maximum impact.

What other types of innovative public health and social justice initiatives will HBO be involved with in the near future?

We’ll assess what’s next and plan on making a commitment in this realm every year, using our resources and friends of the court to help us make an impact on the myriad problems before us.

  2007 Malaria Winner: Marathon Oil Corporation

Ruben Biebeda Chucha, BIMCP Vector Control Manager

Malaria affects between 300-500 million people each year. Can you share any personal experience you have had with the disease and describe how it is debilitating?

I have witnessed on many occasions how debilitating malaria can be.  One night back in 1997 after being away from home all day I came back to find my wife flushed with fever.  She was burning up and after a series of convulsions, she lost consciousness.  All I could think of was to give her a cold bath and hope she would improve.   I then decided to rush her to the hospital where she gradually recovered.  I am lucky to still have her with me.   She had recently given birth to our second child four months previously and we had to take the baby to her in the hospital every day while she recuperated so she could breast feed.

I have also witnessed the death of a dear friend of mine’s child who died in his arms. He was convinced that the death was caused by a spiritual attack on him by someone using traditional witchcraft (juju). I also just recently lost a member of my family who was diagnosed with cerebral (severe malaria).  In the past I felt that I had to pray and fast so that my children would be healthy and when they had fever it was double praying and fasting.  

Prior to working for Marathon, did you have any misperceptions about malaria or were there things about the disease that you did not know?        

As a Christian and an African, I had previously thought that this disease was one of the plagues that God sent to the world to destroy his disobedient children and so it had come to remain, like any other disease that is incurable.  It was my firm belief that when there are so many mosquitoes around a house it was because of the plague from the time of Moses and the Israelites.  Of course I learned about how mosquitoes carry malaria in school but like many people, I didn’t really believe it. People would talk about malaria as if it were a curse, so when ever they felt sick they would rush to the to herbalists’ homes and churches for a cure.

How has life on Bioko Island changed since Marathon introduced its malaria program?

Life on Bioko has changed, from what it was pre 2003.  Before that time I had continuously seen many small graves in the cemetery being dug in preparation for the tiny bodies that would soon be brought for burial.  I can remember seeing them prepare 7 to 10 little graves each day.  From past experience the grave diggers knew that would be the number needed on any given day.  For those unable to be evacuated once diagnosed with malaria, local doctors would routinely start to  prepare the death certificate in anticipation of the inevitable.   

Thanks to this project, things have changed here on Bioko Island. I have personally visited the local hospitals and reviewed the health registers so I know in my heart that it is a true story…..cases of malaria have dropped. People are hearing the project’s messages and are following the instructions; for the most part they are allowing their houses to be sprayed; they continue to use bednets; they try to maintain their clean surroundings;  they are visiting the health centers when they notice the symptoms of malaria ; and they seek medical assistance.  Health facilities seem to be better equipped and people don’t have to worry about evacuating their family members ¨just because of malaria.¨

Marathon’s program consists of three interventions, one of which—IRS—involves having sprayers enter employee and community homes. How does Marathon ensure that people are comfortable enough to allow sprayers into their home?       

 I have personally come to understand the intrusive nature of the IRS program and am convinced that without the support of the employees and the community at large, the project would have a difficult time achieving its goals.  The Information, Education, Communication (IEC) aspect of the project seeks to ensure that the community is informed effectively and in a timely manner, when and where the SPRAYERS will be at any given time.  People are informed of the steps to be taken before and after the IRS activity takes place. They are advised of the possible secondary effects that could occur in the event of non compliance to the instructions.   Radio and Television messages have been recorded and transmitted to encourage greater community participation and photonovelas have been produced for those who might not watch TV or listen to the Radio.  Handbills or flyers are also produced highlighting the merits of the activity and a special IRS-IEC advance team was also formed to conduct house-to-house visitations, community based talks and presentations using public announcement (PA) systems and hand held megaphones.   People have seen not just the mosquito plague reduced, but they have also seen that the insecticide kills other unwelcome pests such as  cockroaches, rodents, snakes, etc. and so the desire has been very high for those who want their houses to be free of malaria.

Marathon works with UN agencies as well as regional organizations. What are the benefits of this collaboration?        

The collaborating organizations and partners with whom the project works have come to understand that this is not a one man fight.  We have to all join hands and put our minds together to save the innocent lives that have continuously been at high risk all these years.  There are economies of scales that are taking place as the various collaborators work at their various levels of expertise and strengths.  There is plenty of work to be done here and as we say in Spanish, "Juntos podemos vencer el paludismo" (Together we will conquer malaria).

2007 Core Competency Winner: Standard Chartered PLC

Bernard Mendy, Chairman, Country Coordinating Mechanism, The Gambia

You became Chair of the Gambia’s CCM in 2005. Since then, how has your role at Standard Chartered changed or evolved?

It has been very challenging, time consuming in that the CCM role is over and above my existing role as Executive Director of the Bank, a totally new learning experience to be sitting with the experienced medical doctors and experts and self-fulfilling in serving my country through making a marked difference in the lives of others as well supporting the fight to save lives

At the corporate level, my assuming this role has further helped in bringing SCB to a more prominent position at the international level in the fight against the three deadly diseases, HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. I have as a result been much more involved also at the international level through participating in workshops and conferences held and in facilitating at workshops organized by the Global Fund and in-country.

Your business skills clearly facilitate your role as Chair of the Gambia’s CCM, but improving performance of local development mechanisms is also dependent on cultural sensitivity. Since becoming Chairman, how have you increased your understanding of local culture?

Absolutely. Yes indeed! It has not only increased my understanding but really enriched me given the cultural diversity and blend at the Country Coordinating Mechanism level. I have been able to better understand and appreciate various constituencies approach to and way of doing business and the personalities behind them and leveraged on some of their key strengths to ensure that not only were the objectives of the stakeholders achieved, but that there was consensus and open and frank deliberations in the CCM deliberations ( something that was very much lacking prior to my assumption of the Chair ) to ensure their buy in throughout the implementation process.

The Gambian CCM members include government, NGOs, UN bilateral agencies, academic institutions, private sector organizations, religious organizations, and people living with HIV/AIDS. Why is it important to include such a diversity of voices?

Firstly, these are constituencies that have to be ably represented on the Country Coordinating Mechanism in accordance with the Global Fund guidelines to ensure a cross representation of public, and private sectors, civil society and faith based organizations as well as PLWHA etc. We have therefore developed in 2006 our Standard Operating Procedures to govern our operations as an oversight institution in the Gambia for all Global Fund grants and programmes.

Secondly, each of these constituencies have their relevant strengths, network to help in the outreach and requisite experience that could make a marked and favourable difference in the implementation of the programmes.

Thirdly, it helps bring in the checks and balances cum transparency required at the opportune times, and this is key to success!

What has been the greatest challenge that you have faced as Chair of the Gambia’s CCM?

It has been from the onset, trying to fend off threats by some members of the public sector on the CCM when their views and actions were challenged just around the time that I assumed the Chair! I took them head on and we have since then turned to be better team players. We still do encounter such challenges which are being ably tackled in a professional and tactful manner.

But on a more serious note, to have been Chair and managed to turnaround the Gambia CCM from being non performing to a classic case study of a model within the Global Fund and whose funds absorption rate was hiked from about 20% to over 80% within six months of assuming the Chair and without a Permanent Secretariat for that matter to assist us throughout that period until now. Other countries’ CCMs have funded Permanent Secretariats to support them.

As Chair, you have helped to ensure that individual projects are more effectively prioritized and targeted to Gambia’s needs. What do you regard as a top priority project right now?

The priorities currently are:

  • To set up the CCM Permanent Secretariat having spent some two years lobbying for the funding for this
  • To address the current issues facing one of the Principal Recipients which has affected the great performances as a result of some interference by the public sector
  • To ensure that all three programmes maintain the momentum to continue to make the Gambia CCM a model to the rest of Global Fund world

How are you ensuring that the business skills and improvements that you bring to the CCM are built into the mechanism so that they will be sustained after your departure?

Through:

  • Ensuring that the Standard Operating Procedures are enforced and reviewed as required and in a timely manner by the CCM
  • The institution of the CCM Permanent Secretariat and ensure that it works efficiently and effectively to support the CCM successfully execute its oversight responsibilities in a timely manner and in accordance with Global Fund guidelines
  • Ensuring that there is in-house capacity and coaching to ensure a natural assumption of the Chair by the most suitable members and in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures and Bye Laws
  • Ensure that our working relationship with Gambia Government continues to be assured through periodic contacts and timely swift moves where hurdles or blockages may be anticipated during implementation
  • Working closely with the President’s Office to revive the National Aid Council of the Gambia which is the apex body to drive the three ones