HEALTH GAP COALITION
ACT UP NEW YORK
February 2, 2002
CONTACT: Sharonann Lynch 917-612-3058 | Asia Russell 267-475-2645

W.E.F's GLOBAL HEALTH INITIATIVE: BUSINESS AS USUAL WHILE WORKERS DIE OF
AIDS

ACTIVISTS DEMAND CORPORATIONS PROVIDE AIDS DRUGS FOR THEIR WORKERS IN
POOR COUNTRIES

(Manhattan) Activists respond to the Global Health Initiative of the
World Economic Forum report on the "Business Response to AIDS,
Tuberculosis, and Malaria." The report presents "best practices" for
corporations responding to the global AIDS crisis, but remains
largely silent on the issue of access to the life-extending AIDS
drugs that are widely available in rich countries.

Seven ACT UP New York members were arrested Thursday (1/31/02) for
hanging banners in Manhattan demanding corporations pay for treatment
for the tens of thousands of HIV-positive workers they employ in poor
countries. One banner read: "WEF's Corporate Response To Global Aids:
Deny Workers HIV Medicine, Count the Dead Bodies."

Some 40 million people worldwide are infected with HIV. 95% of those
infected do not have affordable access to AIDS drugs, including
antiretrovirals. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region hardest hit by the
epidemic, with 24 million people infected.

"The WEF represents a moral vacuum where business executives refuse
to commit the resources to stem the tide of death that threatens to
decimate whole continents," said Sharonann Lynch of ACT UP New York.
"If real action is not taken, then the message is clear: losing a
generation of mothers and fathers in Africa is acceptable."

Activists contend Multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in
developing countries have a moral obligation to implement HIV/AIDS
workplace policies that include non-discriminatory policies,
awareness and prevention programs, confidential voluntary counseling
and testing, and the provision for treatment, care, and support for
affected/infected employees and their families and household members.

"Coca-Cola, Anglo-American Mining Corporation, Shell, and other WEF
members operating in developing countries trumpet their efforts to
provide condoms and display AIDS awareness posters, while continuing
their policy of willful neglect of doing nothing while workers die,"
said Mark Milano of ACT UP New York, one of the activists arrested.

The overwhelming majority of multinational corporations with HIV/AIDS
workplace programs are doing little more than monitoring the impact
of the AIDS pandemic upon their workforce. A small number of
multinational corporations have adopted non-discriminatory policies
towards people living with HIV or prevention and educational
programs. However, almost all MNCs are falling short of their full
responsibilities to provide treatment of AIDS, including
antiretrovirals, to their direct and indirect employees.

"It's business as usual at the WEF, as multinational corporations
continue to do little more than counting the dead among their
workforce," said Stacie Smith of ACT UP New York. "Some mining
corporations in sub-Saharan Africa will hire 3 workers for one
position, knowing 2 will die.

"The World Economic Forum is endorsing mass death by skirting the
issue of access to affordable AIDS drugs," said Asia Russell of
Health GAP. "Corporations must use their resources to pay for
workplace treatment---including access to anti-HIV drugs. The Global
Health Initiative should be condemned for refusing to mandate access
to HIV drugs for workers."

Activists announced they will target multinational corporations in
developing countries as part of a global campaign until such
corporations provide AIDS treatment to all employees and their
families. Such corporations include: Coca-Cola, Shell Oil, BP Amoco,
Anglo American Mining Corporation, DeBeers, Chevron, Exxon Mobil,
Volkswagen, Unilever, McDonald's, Heineken, Roche, Standard Chartered
Bank, Nestlé, Aventis, ChevronTexaco, Citigroup.

The Health GAP Coalition will release a paper on the inadequate
response of multinational corporations to HIV/AIDS in poor countries,
including corporations' "Worst Practices." To receive a copy call
212-674-9598 or email: [email protected]

WORST PRACTICES:

o Coca-Cola skirts its responsibility to provide treatment to
employees with HIV/AIDS, by defining
its employee base in Africa as 1,600 rather than its true workforce
of 100,000 people.

o Anglo-American Mining Corporation estimates it could lose 20
percent of its South African workforce to AIDS and yet reversed a
publicity announcement to supply antiretroviral drugs to all its
HIV/AIDS infected workers. Instead, only a pool of 12,000 senior
staff will be eligible to receive ARV treatment as opposed to its
85,000 workers in southern Africa. Ironically, an official from Anglo
American represents the private sector on the Board of the Global
Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria.

o As part of a Pan-Africa Aids Awareness Initiative, Shell hangs up
AIDS awareness posters and provides AIDS education for all staff, but
does not provide treatment for its workforce. In Africa, Shell
employs 60,000 people indirectly and offers direct employment to
about 8,000.

o Last Summer McDonald's refused to supply anti-AIDS drugs to a staff
member in eastern South Africa who was raped after working a late
shift. McDonald's South Africa human resources director Alfred
Enagbare insisted "we can't just give money to everyone who asks for
it".

HEALTH GAP DEMANDS:

o Global Health Initiative include AIDS treatment including
antiretrovirals as a cornerstone of a best practice for multinational
corporations responding to HIV/AIDS.

o Multinational Corporations develop and implement HIV/AIDS workplace
programs in collaboration with employees and unions, and where
possible, in coordination with community-based initiatives.

o Workplace programs must include non-discriminatory policies,
awareness and prevention programs, confidential voluntary counseling
and testing (VCT),

o Multinational Corporations must provide for the treatment, care,
and support for affected/infected employees and their families,
including antiretroviral treatment. The standard of care should also
include diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections
(STI) and opportunistic infections, medicines for the prevention of
Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT), antiretroviral treatment and
appropriate monitoring and testing, home-based care, palliative care
and hospitalization.

--
Sharonann Lynch
[email protected]
ACT UP New York
Health GAP (Global Access Project)