Community Health
During the year we continued our support of the Medicines for Malaria Venture to develop new anti-malarial medication. Malaria is a significant health issue for us in southern Mozambique and northern Brazil where our operations are located, and many other areas where we have development activities. The Medicines for Malaria Venture, established through the World Health Organization, aims to provide affordable anti-malarial drugs to people in disease-endemic countries. The program has proved very successful and is ahead of schedule in its aim to produce new anti-malarial medication. We have also continued our strong support for the malaria eradication program in southern Africa by collaborating in an extensive mosquito-spraying program.
The study at EKATI to limit the spread of tuberculosis (TB) is progressing through the final stages of approval prior to its full implementation. In the Northwest Territories of Canada, TB is a significant issue among the Inuit population, which as a consequence has an impact on our EKATI Diamond Mine operation. Our TB program is a screening program aimed at detecting latent TB infection, thereby enabling a course of treatment to reduce the chances of active TB developing and infection of others occurring. For an overview of the program, read our 2004 case study, EKATI screening program.
The HIV/AIDS immunotherapy project that was initiated during the previous year has progressed to a point where it is possible that a clinical trial will commence in the coming year. Funding is almost complete and the documentation required for the trial is ready for submission for approval. BHP Billiton has assisted in recruiting other organisations to provide funding and has provided logistic support and funding to develop the early stages of the clinical trial program.
If this treatment proves successful, it will potentially provide an approach to the epidemic that can be delivered to a wider number of the affected population and reduce the often significant compliance issues and costs associated with antiretroviral medication. The genesis of the program is detailed in our 2005 case study, Supporting the development of advancements in HIV/AIDS treatments. Additional examples of our current activities to help manage the impact of the disease include:
- Read more: Health Case Studies>HIV/AIDS
- Ingwe's Middelburg Mine has introduced satellite testing facilities in community villages that give choices about where and when voluntary testing will occur. This approach recognises the importance of taking HIV/AIDS programs 'beyond the mine gate' and involving the wider community. Read more: Our Performance>Recognition>Employee HSEC Awards>Individual Excellence Awards.
In addition, a number of other community health initiatives were progressed through the reporting period at our sites. At the Hallmark Prospect, a joint venture between BHP Billiton and Asiaticus Management Corporation for the exploration of nickel laterite deposits in the Phillippines, a range of basic community health programs have been introduced to benefit employees, contractors and the surrounding communities. Programs include malaria control, school feeding, tuberculosis identification, anti-rabies vaccination and filariasis control. Read more: Performance>Recognition>Employee HSEC Awards>Health Awards.
