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About ~ Our Achievements ~ Contact Us ~ Julius' Story Press Releases:
For Immediate Press Release on Friday 25th
October 2002 at the Against the backdrop of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, over 70 African AIDS activists from 21 countries met in Cape Town from 22-24 August to inaugurate the Pan-African HIV/AIDS Treatment Access Movement (PHATAM). Ghana AIDS Treatment Access Group (GATAG) is a coalition of health and gender Non-Governmental Organisation’s (NGOs), individuals and institutions as an off-shoot of Pan – African HIV/AIDS Treatment Access Movement (PHATAM), advocating for the Treatment of People living and affected by HIV/AIDS. (GATAG) Demand Access to Affordable HIV/AIDS Treatment for all Ghanaians and Africans with HIV/AIDS. AIDS activists’ Hold Governments, Multilateral Agencies, and the Private Sector Accountable for Meeting World Health Organization (WHO) Target of at Least 3 Million People in Developing World are treated with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) by the year 2005.At the Pan – African HIV/AIDS Treatment Access Movement (PHATAM) declaration of Action our demand was that the Private Sector (including multinational corporations, parastatals, large corporations, and other private sector entities): § Contribute to the social good through social investments to address HIV/AIDS § Implement comprehensive HIV/AIDS workplace policies, including provision of HIV/AIDS education, Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), psycho-social support, and provide treatment, including Antiretroviral therapy, for all workers § Adopt non-discriminatory hiring and promotion policies and practices § Ensure that private medical insurance provides appropriate care and treatment for People living with AIDS (PLWHAs) § Mobilise for a Global Day of Action Against Coca-Cola, the largest private employer in Africa, and other multinationals on 17 October 2002 to demand Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for all HIV-positive workers and their families AIDS activists are critical of Coca Cola’s HIV/AIDS policies in developing countries, claiming the corporation falls short of providing all its workers and their members living with HIV/AIDS with affordable life sustaining treatment and care. AIDS activists have hounded Coca Cola for months for failing to fulfil promises made in June 2001 when the company announced its “AIDS in Africa” initiative, which was to include AIDS treatment for workers. The global activist campaign brought about an announcement from Coca Cola Africa Foundation on September 29, an initiative to enrol African bottlers in a cost-sharing program to provide HIV/AIDS care benefits to workers. AIDS Activists contend that the high cost-sharing for workers required in the initiative 10% out of pocket payment in most cases will prove to be a barrier to access to HIV/AIDS treatment, especially for low-wage earners. Now as we speak, Heineken and DaimlerChrysler provide AIDS treatment free of charge to workers and their families. With all the profit the company makes off African labourers, Coke executives cannot morally justify refusing to pay for AIDS treatment for workers’ children. Representatives of (GATAG) meet with the management of Coca Cola Ghana to demand that Coca Cola incorporates comprehensive HIV/AIDS policies and programs, including the provision of Antiretroviral therapy (HAART), in its standard operations in Ghana and Africa, not as a short-term charitable initiative from the non-profit organization set up by Coca Cola. The HIV/AIDS policies, the AIDS activist contend, should be incorporated as minimum standards in all bottling partnerships and subsidized by Coca-Cola. AIDS Activists also demand Coke guarantee HIV/AIDS treatment free of charge for workers and dependants, ensure the procurement of the most affordable drugs, including quality-assured generic medicines in order to keep costs low for bottlers, commit to sustaining the program indefinitely, and to a timely rollout of AIDS programs and enrolment of the remaining 32 bottlers in Africa. GATAG joined activists in San Francisco, Tokyo, Paris, Bangalore (India), New York City, Atlanta, Washington DC, Seattle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and on 12 different college campuses in the U.S. within Africa, AIDS activist in Mali, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso to hold events and rallies on the Global Day of Action against Coca Cola World-wide. Hence it was not necessary for the management of The Coca Cola Ghana to report us to the Police claiming that we intend to come and vandalise their Bottling plant, that we accuses them all of we are responsible citizens that is concern about the HIV/AIDS. Without treatment, millions of people living with HIV/AIDS on the African Continent including Ghana will die avoidable death over the next decade. An essential part of the response to dealing with the HIV epidemic is that people with HIV/AIDS are able to organise themselves and participate in civil actions such as marches and pickets. Therefore we condemned the action by the Coca-Cola Ghana management and Mr. Robert Lindsay, Vice President of Coca-Cola Africa Public Affairs & Communication. Who after his call and discussion with GATAG member preparing their action on the 17 Oct 2002, lead to the invitation Stephen Sowah to the Police headquarters for interrogation. He was detained a was later released. All this culminated in the Police Station at Kpeshie refusing to grant permit to GATAG for our intended peaceful procession. While we appreciate the effort made by Coke we are urging them to do more, when all Multinational Institution continue to treat their staff free-of-cost the burden will be few for the Government to plan and scale-up the public health sector to treat people living and affected by HIV and AIDS. This press conference was sponsored by:
Mother Africa and Child Care Organization (MACCO) – Teshie
Accra. |
©2006 GATAG - Ghana AIDS Treatment Access Group |
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