AML staff performing an HIV/AIDS sensitization skit
Iron ore miner in Sierra Leone, African Minerals (SL) Limited, has recommitted itself to fighting against HIV/AIDS through awareness raising amongst its workforce and community people. It made the pledge marking World Aids Day on December 1.
General Manager Ports and Rail operations, Alan Watling, challenged employees to be safe if they wished to make their families, community, villages and the nation safe and free of HIV/AIDS.
“We can all do and achieve this by being tolerant and respectful”, he told a huge gathering of AML workers in Pepel. AML had as its theme ‘GETTING TO ZERO HIV/AIDS’ as it marked the 25th anniversary of World Aids Day this year.
Medical Director, Dr Florinela Cirstina, opened the day’s commemoration with a call on the company’s workforce to make the observance a memorable one while accepting the company’s position as a health and safety policy.
“The day is aimed at working to protect the health of every AML employee by helping to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS infections, stigmatization and increasing the awareness and benefit of voluntary, counselling, confidentiality test, VCCT. It is also to educate or sensitize the teamon the mode of HIV/AIDS transmission and risky behaviours at mining sites,” she said.
In Tonkolili the General Manager at the mine, David Danso, admonished workers to practice safe sex and adopt positive behaviours in the prevention of the disease.
Across the mines, rail and port operations the activities also included short skits put together and performed by company workers with messages about the scourge, and an appeal to the general workforce and the communities around.
At the mine the sensitisation exercise was extended to three resettlement communities of Foria, Wondugu and New Ferengbeya where AML’s community department distributed items with inscriptions on simple prevention approaches to AIDS.
In Pepel the occasion was climaxed by the distribution of HIV/AIDS items as souvenirs to the entire workforce and other visiting government functionaries who graced the day.
(C) Politico 06/12/13
