Development Issues: HIV/AIDS, Sexual Health.

Programme Summary

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) is 60% owned by the Nigerian Government and 40% owned by Chevron Texaco. CWAPP was conceptualized to address the problem of HIV/AIDS as a result of diverse motivational factors including recognition of the enormous impact that HIV/AIDS has on business and its workforce. In addition was the survey that revealed high level of ignorance and misconceptions about the disease; the presence of sexual networking at oil locations; high level of sexually transmitted diseases detected at these locations and community health centres. There was also an understanding of the high level of risk amongst a mobile workforce; and documented advantages of workplace-based HIV/AIDS intervention programs. The programme is targeted at employees, their young dependants, union leaders, community youths, settlers and commercial sex workers at oil locations.

A workplace policy initiated in 1998 is being updated and a multi-departmental approach is being coordinated by the by the Medical Unit to increase the success of this programme. CWAPP became popular with employees, accepted by management and has led to a better host community-company relationship, with reduction in STDs seen at the Tank Farm clinic. The communities have started to respond to the challenges of HIV/AIDS while the company is looking at the social, political, medical and economic issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. The programme is based on the premise that workplace-based AIDS Prevention programmes are cost-effective, sustainable and can be replicated at different business settings and workplaces with minor modifications. And that workplace-based AIDS prevention programmes must target not only employees but also the community where they operate.

Summary of ICT Initiatives

Through proposed interventions, CNL aims to reduce the risk of HIV to its employees, families and business. Although HIV prevalence among workers is less than 2.5%, they are at risk because of a higher prevalence in the community, their poor HIV knowledge, and high risk-taking behaviours. CNL's HIV/AIDS programmes focus mainly on prevention of the escalation of the epidemic by targeting employees, their families, the community and CSWs, as well as supporting and caring for HIV+ employees. CWAPP focuses on knowledge transfer, attitude change and behavioural modification.

• Awareness is increased through the CWAPP's use of posters, flyers, newsletters, e-mails and campaigns.
• HIV/AIDS management training programme for managers, supervisors and union leaders has been offered since 2001. This full day programme will be required for all new managers and supervisors. Persons living with HIV (PLWH) in the community act as resource persons for this training programme, which addresses positive living, staying negative and the management of the positive employees.
• CNL has had a peer education programme since 1997. CNL's medical divisions train peer educators through edu-tainment sessions. Most times, the peer educators share knowledge at lunch, on oil platforms and at bars near the workplace.
• Male condoms are available during HIV/AIDS campaigns and events, at all medical consulting rooms and at the tank farm (one of CNL's land-based facilities in Nigeria).

Programmes combine of a lecture of basic facts on HIV/AIDS blended with jokes, cartoons, poetry, drama, music video shows and moonlight story telling. Question-and-answer sessions and provision of comprehensive handouts on HIV/AIDS/STDs, safer sex practices, condom promotion and positive living complement this basic lecture. There is also treatment of STDs, and Voluntary Confidential Counselling and Testing (VCCT) with PMTCT.

CNL has also developed an Adolescent Reproductive Health Programme (CHARP) that focuses on workers' children ages 12-19. The programme is an edu-tainment model that addresses issues of adolescent reproductive health, career guidance, violence and role modeling. About 150-200 children and parents have participated in the annual HIV/AIDS workshops. Other programmes also include a Field-Based Oil Workers Peer Education Programme, the Youth Clinic with a Hotline, and Chevron Adolescent RH Klub that complement these AIDS prevention efforts.

The Company has also been involved in Internet training of female journalists in AIDS prevention, yearly celebration of the World AIDS Day and Candlelight Memorial ceremony. There is also the annual Chevron Youth Festival of Life (C-YOU-LIFE) to celebrate CNL's efforts, cares and concerns for adolescents.

Observations

The programme has reached the majority of workers with its education and awareness activities, improved employee health seeking behaviour, increased stakeholder involvement and successfully prevented mother to child transmissions. CNL will expand its programmes to ensure that it is able to meet the goals stated in its vision of minimizing increases in prevalence and treating HIV+ workers.

Since 1997, the programme has met many process and outcome goals:

• Since 1997, CWAPP has reached 80% of CNL workers and 40% of the surrounding communities with education, resulting in higher HIV/AIDS awareness.
• There has been a 50% reduction in STIs and patients are self-presenting much earlier in the infection since 1997. Phone-ins and requests for counselling have increased 40% since 1997. Condom demand has increased 40% since 1997.
• CWAPP's multi-stakeholder approach has resulted in increased management attention. Communities are now facing the challenges of HIV/AIDS and the labour union is becoming more supportive.
• MTC prevention services have resulted in no recorded cases of maternal mother to child transmission for workers and their spouses since its launch in 1999.

This CWAPP programme is now part of UNAIDS Best Practice document on Business Responses to HIV/AIDS and is also the topic of a World Economic Forum Private Sector Intervention Case Example - click here for the PDF.

Source:Letter from Dr. Bode-law Faleyimu to the Nigeria-AIDS eForum October 28, 2001. View message archives at the nigeria-aids.org forum, and the WEF Intervention Case Example.

For More Information Contact:

Bode-law Faleyimu,

Chevron Workplace AIDS Prevention Programme (CWAPP)

Chevron Nigeria Limited.

Tel: 234-1-2600600 Ext. 2224

Bofa@chevron.com

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