How to join

In recognition of its experience and expertise, SABCOHA has been awarded funding from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This funding now gives SABCOHA the opportunity to offer a comprehensive workplace programme - as well as affordable, sustainable VCT and treatment that many SMEs cannot afford. With the CDC's support, SABCOHA is now offering participating member companies the opportunity to provide free, high-quality treatment to their employees.

While SABCOHA offers to take on this burden of ensuring more productive and healthy employees, it is recognized that for this project to be successful, management support and facilitation remains pivotal.

The programme consists of the following interlinked interventions, which includes:

• Management, steering committee, champion training and peer educator training;
• Policy development;
• VCT;
• Care and support; and
• HIV/AIDS treatment.

The treatment programme will be funded for five years.

SABCOHA has partnered with a number of leading organisations in implementing the supply chain model. Three of these include Eskom, Japanese Bank for International Cooperation and the Automobile Supply chain programmes. Click here for more information.

Requirements for participation

This programme is being offered to supplier companies of corporates who are members of SABCOHA, and participating companies should not have more than 300 employees.

The supply chain company is also required to become a member of SABCOHA. The cost of this membership is calculated to be approximately 1% of the treatment programme. The annual fees are:

• Small company (1 - 249 employees) - R1,139.86 (inc VAT)
• Large company (250 - 499 employees) - R11,400.00 (inc VAT)

The implementation strategy for this programme is based on the methodology of the comprehensive SABCOHA toolkit, which we are offering at a nominal rate. The participating company has to purchase the toolkit from SABCOHA.

Managed Implementation and Delivery Roles and Responsibilities

SABCOHA has identified expert and accredited treatment partners to roll out the workplace programme for both VCT and treatment. These service providers will work closely with the participating companies and report on their activities to SABCOHA. A breakdown of partner responsibilities is as follows:

Service Providers

• Implement programme using the SABCOHA toolkit;
• Conduct sessions for supplier companies: managers, champions of supply chain companies as per contractual agreement;
• Liaise with and provide support to mentor company coordinators and appointed supplier company champions;
• Conduct training of parent company companies, managers champions of supply chain companies as per contractual agreement;
• Liaise with parent company ‘coordinators' and appointed company champions; and
• Liaise with and report to SABCOHA.

Mentor/Host Company Coordinators

• Assist in identifying suitable supply chain company companies and representatives;
• Mentoring companies to assist supplier companies to become members of SABCOHA and to obtain toolkits;
• Provide logistical support and venue for the supply chain companies that they work with;
• Arrange and ensure that companies commit and attend training and coaching;
• Monitor and manage the progress of the supply chain companies; and
• Liaise with SABCOHA.

Supply Chain Companies

• Commit to participation in the programme;
• Attend training sessions;
• Form steering committee;
• Appoint champions;
• Provide a venue for training and meetings;
• Develop a workplace policy;
• Liaise with mentor/host company; and
• For access to VCT and potential preparation for treatment, companies would have to be members of SABCOHA and have purchased the toolkit to assist with implementation.

SABCOHA

• Assume overall accountability of the project;
• Report to funder (CDC) & companies;
• Contract service providers;
• Co-ordinate activities of service providers;
• Ensure that project deliverables are carried out according to the agreement; and
• Liaise with all identified companies in a quality assurance and monitoring and evaluation role.

Contacts

Should you be interested to participate in this programme you are requested to contact SABCOHA on: Tel: +27 11 880 4821/Fax: +27 11 880 6084

Email:

Thando Khaile: Operations Manager - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Hugo Canham: Projects Manager - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Why partner with SABCOHA?

SABCOHA is the leading local private sector organization spearheading the fight against HIV/AIDS in South Africa.   With more than 100 members, and mandated by Business Unity South Africa, SABCOHA represents business in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This mandate is exercised through SABCOHA's representation on the South African AIDS Council (SANAC), which is chaired by South Africa's Deputy President.

One of SABCOHA's key mandates is to ensure that business is part of an integrated national response to HIV/AIDS.  A review of the previous National Strategic plan 2001 - 2005 highlighted the need to ‘consolidate and build existing partnerships, especially concentrating on increasing the contribution of the private sector,'[1] especially the empowerment of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).  Increasingly there is a demand being placed upon the private sector to partner with government in the fight against the epidemic.   While some progress has been made with regards to larger organizations and multinationals, there is still a gap in service provision and access to treatment in the small- and medium-sized enterprises.  

What is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)?

SABCOHA received funding of $8,5-million in 2007 from the CDC to strengthen SMME workplace HIV responses. The funding - $1,7-million a year for the next five years - will give a massive boost to SABCOHA's SMME-related programmes. The rollout of the CDC programme has required significant organisational focus but is proving to be a highly worthwhile experience. Click here for more information on SABCOHA's partners.

[1] South African National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS and STI's 2007-2011

This publication (journal, article, etc.) was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number 1U2GPS000794-01 from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STDs and TB Prevention.