Executive Summary
The HIV/AIDS and Business Forum was organized by two French organizations, CIAN (The French Council of Investors in Africa) and SIDA Entreprise with the collaboration of the Cameroonian Business Council called PCGE (La Plate-forme de Coordination Groupe des Entreprises du Cameroun). More than 100 participants attended the Business Forum that took place in Douala, Cameroon from September 23 to September 24, 2004.
The goals of the forum were to:
- Assess the HIV/AIDS programs of the corporate members of Sida Entreprises.
- Share information on lessons learned and results achieved
- Encourage all corporate members of SIDA Enterprises to develop HIV/AIDS programs that will help them in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
- Provide information on the goals, objectives and services provided by SIDA Enterprises.
SIDA-Entreprises: is a non profit association of around 20 French companies created by CIAN to address the impact of HIV/AIDS on French companies operating in Africa. CIAN is a private sector association grouping together more than 100 companies and representing about 80% of the activity of French firms invested or operating in Africa . Both CIAN and SIDA Entreprises are based in Paris, France. Alain Viry, the President of SIDA-Enterprises is also the president of CFAO, the largest French motor distributor in Africa. Mr. Viry emphasized during the forum that one of the main goals of SIDA Enterprises was to encourage corporations to design, develop and implement HIV/AIDS workplace programs. He also added that corporations need to commit to helping one another in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
PCGE: (The Cameroonian Business Council) was represented by Mr. R. Titi Manyaja who reiterated his support for the activities of SIDA-Enterprises and for the Slogan, “Combating HIV/AIDS Together”. The importance of Voluntary Testing was emphasized during discussions and an analysis of the impact of peer-based education and prevention programs was presented by Elong Mbassi from the Brasseries du Cameroun. The estimated prevalence rate of HIV infection in the corporate sector of Cameroon is approximately 5 percent as compared to 12% in the general population.
GICAM (Business Association): The president of GICAM, Mr. Andre Tiaka firmly endorsed partnerships between the private sector and the public sector in addressing HIV/AIDS in Cameroon. He pointed to organization such as the National AIDS Council of Cameroon and SIDA-Enterprises and the PCGE as examples of focal points and resources for these important partnerships.
Ministry of Labor: The Minister of Labor, Work and Social Protection declared his strong support for the mobilization of the corporate members of SIDA-Entreprises in the fight against HIV/AIDS and he is hoping that more Cameroonian businesses will follow SIDA-Entreprises’ model of social corporate responsibility.
In citing statistical data about HIV in Cameroon, the Minister of Labor, noted a twelve percent HIV prevalence rate in Cameroon with at least 120,00 people currently needing ARV treatment. Other AIDS related data includes more than 200 000 HIV/AIDS orphans in Cameroon. The minister also announced that as of October 1, 2004 ARVs will be available in Cameroon at a cost of 3000 cfa/month which is equivalent to $5.71/month and the medical follow up (CD4 count) will be available at a cost of 30 000cfa per year, $57.00 per year. The Minister also noted that the government with the help of the National AIDS Council will take new measures to deal with problems related to access to ARV care and treatment and stock out of drugs. These factors often hinder ART Treatment and may contribute to resistance to Antiretroviral Therapy.
Three companies gave presentations on their HIV/AIDS programs:
- HYSACAM (Waste Collection company),
- SONEL (Electricity company);
- SGBC (Bank)
UNITAR, (The United Nations Training and Research) presented the results of a pilot project that was tested in Brazil, Thailand, and Uganda. In Cameroon, the project was sponsored by SIDA Entreprises and the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation. This project involved 12 French companies operating in Cameroon: ACCOR, TOTAL, CFAO, SGBC, ALUCAM, SABC, CAMRAIL, CHOCCOCAM, CIMENCAM, BRODWELL, and PLASTICAM, Brasseries du Cameroun. The pilot project analyzed and evaluated the HIV/AIDS prevalence and programs of the companies mentioned above. After evaluation, the companies were advised on the measures they needed to take to improve their HIV/AIDS programs.
Health Sector: Two presentations were given by Dr. Christian Delmotte and Jean Charles Suzeau on insurance companies that insure PLWA in Ivory Coast. Dr. Henri Chenal, a French Doctor residing in Ivory Coast also gave a demonstration of the HIV/AIDS Software and Tool-Kit called AIDS-net that he developed.
Both the software and Toolkit will be launched on the internet in November.
Projet Sanisphere: Three students from the University of ESSEC in Paris, France gave a presentation on the impact of HIV/AIDS in businesses operating in Africa and Asia.
Presentation on CCA:
CCA: Maty Niang Toure gave a presentation of the CCA HIV/AIDS Initiative. She visited during her trip the HIV/AIDS facilities of l’hopital La Quintinine and she also had meetings with the following organizations and companies: National AIDS Council, UNAIDS, Clinique Pasteur, Clinique Du Bouquet, GICAM, PCGE, TOTAL, ACCOR, HYSACAM, SONEL, Brasseries du Cameroun, GlaxoSmithKline, CFAO.
There is potential for collaboration across our two programs and having access to some of the research and experience Sida – Enterprise has had in Cameroon would be very useful for the development and implementation of CCA programs. Topics such as voluntary testing and corporate awareness and engagement in HIV/AIDS prevention and care were also discussed. At the end of discussions, corporate members of SIDA Entreprises and other participants adopted the following guidelines for the private sector in responding to HIV/AIDS: (1) involve all corporate members in the fight against HIV/AIDS; (2) develop public/private partnership; (3) support peer education based programs; (4) increase access to funding; and (5) engage more companies in the fight against HI/AIDS through the Cameroonian Business Council.
