South African mining giant Anglo American announced today it would make AIDS treatment available to all its employees in one of the first corporate efforts in southern Africa to curb the disease. "Operating companies will now be encouraged to enhance their HIV/AIDS wellness programs by making antiretroviral therapy [ART] available at company expense to HIV-positive employees," Anglo said in a statement in Johannesburg.

Some 23 percent, or roughly 18,000 workers, of the 90,000 people employed by Anglo in southern Africa are estimated to be HIV-positive, said company spokesperson Anne Dunn. "The average cost to us to treat a person will be around 1,700 rand ($159/EUR165) per month," she said, adding therapy would include counseling and the treatment of side effects of ART. Anglo said treatment would only be given to employees who did not already have medical aid to cover HIV/AIDS. The treatment would be given in consultation with southern African governments and mining authorities, it added.

Anglo American started a comprehensive HIV/AIDS program in the early 1990s. The program included research on the HIV infection rate among employees at its southern African operations and encouraging counseling and testing for its workforce and surrounding communities.

Last month, AngloGold, of which Anglo American is the parent company, signed an agreement with five labor unions in South Africa on HIV/AIDS regulations in the workplace. The agreement committed AngloGold to programs to minimize the impact of the disease.

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