Coca-Cola to Distribute HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria Prevention Playing Cards Among Chinese Migrant Workers

Coca-Cola recently announced that it plans to distribute about 100,000 decks of playing cards with information about HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria prevention to Chinese migrant workers in July, Xinhua/People's Daily reports. The cards will be distributed among migrant workers employed at construction sites and railway stations in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hangzhou. Coca-Cola also will work with the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STDs and AIDS to distribute HIV prevention cards in Henan, Guizhou and Yunnan. Coca-Cola staff also will be given access to the cards. According to statistics from Beijing's Health Bureau, migrant workers accounted for about 80% of the city's new HIV cases in 2006. There are 200 million migrant workers in China and at least 120 million work in cities, Xinhua/People's Daily reports. An International Labor Organization report estimates that China could lose up to five million people in its labor force by 2015 if increased efforts are not made to fight the spread of HIV (Xinhua/People's Daily, 5/24). The playing cards are part of a Global Business Coalition Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria initiative that also involves Anglo American, Bayer, BD, GM, Eli Lilly and SSL International (GBC release, 5/22).

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