Chevron's role in fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa

In this Africa.com opinion piece, Ana Ruth Luis, medical director of the Southern Africa Strategic Business Unit at Chevron Africa and Latin America Ex in Angola, discusses what she calls "the important role Chevron has in driving down the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Africa." She writes, "Chevron was able to drop new infections to zero among our employees and their babies by educating our employees, establishing a culture of voluntary, confidential testing and treatment, addressing stigma and discrimination in the workplace, and providing comprehensive medical care for expectant mothers."

She highlights Chevron's partnership with Population Services International (PSI), a global non-profit organization that helped "to understand the stigmas our employees associated with HIV/AIDS, and to identify ways to improve education and clarify misconceptions," discusses a number of employee programs in place within the organization, and notes that "Chevron recently committed $20 million to a global action plan led by UNAIDS and PEPFAR seeking to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2015." She concludes, "These efforts, combined with the efforts that health organizations, [non-governmental organizations (NGOs)] and governments make each day on behalf of their patients, communities and constituents will help to round out the treatment and prevention of the disease in Africa. Together, through partnership, we can save even more lives, and watch the HIV-free generation grow up in front of our own eyes" (12/12).