09 June 2011
Anglo American leads business community with pledge to the UK Matching Fund for Immunisation to support GAVI
Anglo American today pledged $3 million to the UK Government led matching initiative for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations (GAVI) – a public/private partnership dramatically increasing access to immunisation in the world’s poorest countries.
Anglo American is the first UK plc to participate in the GAVI
Matching Fund for Immunisation, launched today by the International
Development Secretary, Andrew Mitchell and the Chancellor, George
Osborne. The UK Government has also committed to matching funds
raised from Anglo American employees and suppliers as part of the
initiative.
Cynthia Carroll, Chief Executive of Anglo American,
commented:
“Anglo American is delighted to announce its commitment of
$1 million a year for three years to the UK Government led Matching
Fund initiative for GAVI. We hope that our action will encourage a
similar level of support for GAVI from other large companies in the
UK and around the world. We are also actively encouraging our
employees and suppliers to participate in this important
initiative.
“With approximately 95% of our operations in developing
countries, Anglo American has a deep appreciation of the vital role
health plays in ensuring human development and promoting economic
growth.”
Anglo American strongly believes that a collective and
innovative response is required from business in order to have a
meaningful impact on improving access to healthcare in developing
countries. At the G20 Business Summit in Seoul in November 2010,
Anglo American announced a $3 million pledge over three years to
the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global
Fund) and called on businesses around the world to do the same.
“The scale of the burden of disease in developing
countries demands a coordinated response between governments, the
private sector and civil society. Anglo American is committed to
supporting innovative health financing partnerships like GAVI and
the Global Fund, which are tackling these significant healthcare
challenges with extraordinary success,” Cynthia Carroll
said.
Dr Brian Brink, Chief Medical Officer, Anglo American, based in
South Africa, commented:
“Since 2000, GAVI funded vaccines have immunised 288
million children and prevented more than 5 million deaths.
Global Fund sponsored programs have saved 6.5 million lives and
provided access to treatment for more than 3 million AIDS patients
and 7.7 million Tuberculosis patients. Malaria may be
eliminated as a public health problem by 2015, largely as a result
of Global Fund investments. By supporting both these
institutions, Anglo American is a leading business contributor to
improving health in countries with the greatest need.
“Despite these remarkable achievements, funding shortfalls
remain. We urge the private sector to recognise the importance of
investing in health in developing countries; there are significant
long-term business benefits in terms of economic growth and
development. For Anglo American, improving access to
healthcare is an important part of our sustainable development
programme, which aims to make a real and lasting difference in the
communities where our mines operate.”
Further information about Anglo American’s health
programmes
- In 2002, Anglo American was the first major employer to begin
offering free antiretroviral treatment to all its employees and, in
December 2008, Anglo American extended this benefit to
employees’ direct dependants. This decision was based
largely on the understanding that HIV/AIDS cannot be effectively
managed when only one family member receives care for a disease
that affects the whole family.
- Anglo American’s world-leading HIV/AIDS response,
providing the largest free HIV and AIDS workplace and voluntary
counselling and testing (VCT) programme, has been held up as best
practice by the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria.
- Anglo American’s 2009 international employee HIV/AIDS
campaign detailed the company’s response in the areas of
eliminating the stigma and discrimination related to the disease.
The programme also focuses on preventing new infections, the
provision of care and confidential support for employees and their
dependants infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS, and managing and
mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS on operations. In so doing,
Anglo American is making a positive contribution towards minimising
the social, economic and developmental consequences of the
epidemic.
- Workplace programmes are in place at all Group operations and
business units, with activity particularly focused in southern
Africa, where HIV prevalence figures are estimated at 18% of the
region’s workforce.
- In 2011, Anglo American co-sponsored the Frontline Heroes in
Health award with Virgin Unite which was presented at GBC
Health’s 10th Anniversary Conference and Awards. The award
recognises leadership in community healthcare and was this year
presented to Kgomotso Kwenje and Dr Gilbert Khosa who co-manage the
Bhubezi Community Health Centre in South Africa.
- Bhubezi Community Health Centre, located in Bushbuckridge,
Mpumalanga, in South Africa, is the result of collaboration between
the community, government and business. Supported by USAID / PEPFAR
(the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), the
South African Department of Health, Ndlovu Care Group, Anglo
American and Virgin Unite, Bhubezi Community Health Centre is the
first to offer basic and specialised healthcare in the region.
Since its establishment in 2007 it has received more than 130,000
patients and provided more than 3,500 HIV positive patients with
anti-retroviral treatment.
- Anglo American’s recent progress was rewarded by the
Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria at the organisation’s Business Excellence Awards in
June 2009, where the company’s Thermal Coal business was
recognised as having the best HIV/AIDS workplace programme in the
world.
- The GBC Awards are earned by companies that have demonstrated
extraordinary commitment, action and results, and have achieved
exceptional success in putting their assets to work in the fight
against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
- Anglo American’s Thermal Coal business received the top
award in the 'Workplace Category' for its holistic approach to
HIV/AIDS and was commended by the judges for “its
comprehensive, robust and evidence-based approach to managing HIV
and AIDS in the workplace; coupled with the outstanding leadership
and commitment of the company’s management and leadership
team."
- Combating HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases is one of the
eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and 2010
represents an important milestone in the progress of this
initiative.
For further information on Anglo American, please contact:
Media
UK
James Wyatt-Tilby
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8759
Emily Blyth
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8481
Investors
UK
Caroline Metcalfe
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 2192
Leisha Wemyss
Tel: +44 (0)20 7968 8607
About Anglo American
Anglo American plc is one of the world’s largest mining
companies, is headquartered in the UK and listed on the London and
Johannesburg stock exchanges. Anglo American’s portfolio of
mining businesses spans precious metals and minerals – in
which it is a global leader in both platinum and diamonds; base
metals – copper and nickel; and bulk commodities – iron
ore, metallurgical coal and thermal coal. Anglo American is
committed to the highest standards of safety and responsibility
across all its businesses and geographies and to making a
sustainable difference in the development of the communities around
its operations. The company’s mining operations and extensive
pipeline of growth projects are located in southern Africa, South
America, Australia, North America and Asia.
www.angloamerican.com
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