Thika district lies between Nairobi and Central provinces with prevalence rate of 9.0% and 3.8% respectively. With such prevalence rates it is safe for businesses in Thika to conclude that their workforce falls within this prevalence rate. There are major factors that contribute to high rates of infection in Thika, such as high number of plantation workers, high population of migrant workers, and large numbers of people on transit because of two major highways running through Thika.Bidco Oil Refineries Ltd, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) and ILO have therefore partnered to bring together all Thika business leaders to a roundtable meeting on Thursday 9th July, 2009 to discuss ways they can effectively partner and collectively collaborate to improve the health of the Thika community by safeguarding them against the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS. The objective is to launch an initiative that will strengthen the capacity of businesses to scale up existing HIV and AIDS initiatives in Thika and to enable workers and employers to develop and implement workplace policies and programs. The project will focus on business in Thika with the aim of encouraging large businesses with workplace policies and programs to mentor and support small businesses to develop their own policies and programs and address the issues in the community where workers live. The meeting to be chaired by Bidco CEO Mr. Vimal Shah and GBC Vice President & Regional Director, Mrs. Partricia Mugambi Ndegwa will see Bidco share with the rest of its neighbors their unique HIV/AIDS workplace program and workplace policy that they have put in place. For more information, please contact: Titus Omondi, Francis NjangiruHead of Communications, OR Technical Services Manager BIDCO Global Business Coalition O67 -2821707 020-3862160 0721225474 0721324261 Titus.omondi@bidco-oil.com fnjangiru@gbcimpact.org |
