Goal

Key questions

• How could Standard Bank increase its level of uptake for VCT services?

• Would joint-prevalence surveys be of value to other industry sectors?

• How can Standard Bank maintain enthusiasm for employees who join after the initial campaigns?

Programme description

Standard Bank’s programme is built on an integrated communications strategy designed to address the staff needs identified in the KAP study. It includes a management-endorsed policy, education and prevention, as well as confidential counselling support and medically-appropriate treatment.

• Standard Bank’s board approved a life-threatening disease policy for employees in South Africa in late 2001. It was extended to all of its other operations in Africa in June 2003.

• Standard Bank’s education and prevention programme is based on using multiple internal channels, including a strong focus on volunteer employee champions and condom distribution to increase awareness and to effect behavioural change.

• Standard Bank launched its “Know Your Status” (VCT) campaign in August 2003 to build on the heightened awareness created during the banking sector prevalence survey, which was run from June to September 2003. Standard Bank used its external employee wellbeing service provider, Independent Counselling and Advisory Services (ICAS), to ensure confidentiality and uptake. A quick poll conducted during August using Standard Bank’s intranet reflected that approximately 54% of the respondents were ‘aware of their HIV status.’

• Employee medical benefits, including medically appropriate access to anti-AIDS drugs, were made available separately through the bank's medical aid, Bankmed. Bankmed launched an HIV/AIDS Managed Care programme in 2000. Around 300 employees and dependants from Standard Bank have enrolled in the programme since it was launched.