AIDS Prevention Challenges in Western and Southern Africa

Abstract

In western and southern Africa, where most sub-Saharan oilfield activity occurs, AIDS is one of the main health concerns of most operators and service companies. Approximately 40 million persons are infected with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. This represents over two-thirds of the worldwide infected population. Although HIV/AIDS is not a work-related disease, most operators and services companies recognize that it affects their workforce and operations. Most oilfield companies aim to recruit and train the vast majority of their work force locally. One barrier to doing so is that, in the oilfield environment, the infection rate and exposure to HIV/AIDS tends to be high due to factors that are analyzed in this paper. Although some oilfield operators have started to implement HIV/AIDS programs, most service companies do not have clear policies and standards for prevention and risk mitigation. In this paper, we review the main factors that contribute to HIV/AIDS risk of infection in oil-producing countries in western and southern Africa. Barriers to prevention are analyzed using a survey of a service company's employees. The survey results are used to determine the extent and the root causes of the problem. Using findings from this study, we outline elements of a prevention program specifically designed for the oilfield work environment. Introduction Sub-Saharan Africa, which represents just over 10% of world population, is estimated to have more than 66% (25 million) of all HIV/AIDS cases, with an infection rate of more than 2 million every year.2 With the increase of the drilling and production activity in this part of the world, oilfield companies in sub-Saharan Africa have started to recognize the impact of this disease. Employees of oilfield companies can be classified into four groups:Married expatriates living with family.Single expatriates.Senior and educated national staff.Junior and uneducated national staff. Single expatriates and national staff are the high-risk groups. It is important to note that contact with HIV/AIDS is exacerbated by the fact that, even for remote projects, ad hoc villages emerge around drilling and production activity. In this environment, key contributing factors for infection are:Lack of an effective HIV/AIDS awareness program.Poverty.Nightlife as one of the main out-of work activities. Many countries in this area are developing economically, and most have suffered years of political and social instability. Therefore, HIV/AIDS prevention has not been a priority. Government programs are nonexistent or are still ineffective. To be effective, any program has to address the following challenges:How much should an oilfield service company be involved?Socio-economic and cultural environment.Traditional and false beliefs about HIV/AIDS.Ignorance or poor understanding of HIV/AIDS.Religious barriers.