AFRICA: International oil executives call for HIV/AIDS policy coordination

JOHANNESBURG, 28 Sep 2005 (PLUSNEWS) - Oil industry executives meeting at the World Petroleum Congress (WPC) in Johannesburg this week have called for a coordinated effort in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Citing the lack of HIV/AIDS policy coordination as a major threat to the industry, the chief executive of Chevron in Nigeria, Jay Pryor, was reported by the South African Press Association as saying, "Not having a programme at all is a death sentence."

Catherine Ferrant of Total, France, pointed out that much still needed to be done to adapt to local needs, establish local partnerships and "detraumatise" testing when AIDS programmes were designed.

The WPC represents over 90 percent of the world's oil and gas producing and consuming nations.

[ENDS]