World AIDS Day 2018: Together We Are Stronger

World AIDS Day takes place on December 1 each year. The day was first recognized in 1988 to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic, show support for people living with HIV and remember those who died of AIDS-related causes.

Our commitment to fighting HIV and AIDS began in 1986 in the San Francisco Bay Area when we started to see HIV/AIDS affecting our employees and communities first hand. A few years later, our company recognized that some of our largest operations were in areas where the grip of AIDS was growing rapidly. We began developing our own workplace education and support programs, and we launched partnerships around the globe to help educate communities, prevent new infections and improve access to care and support.

In 2005, Chevron was the first oil and gas company to institute a global comprehensive HIV/AIDS program and policy for employees, providing access to HIV treatment for employees and their dependents. And since 2008, we have partnered with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to support programs in Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

This World AIDS Day, we not only reflect on Chevron’s commitment to fighting the disease the past 32 years, but also on the strides we’ve made in 2018 with our partners.

Anti-retroviral Treatment in Nigeria

Since 2008, Chevron has partnered with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to support programs primarily focused on the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) in Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

This year Chevron allocated $2.5 million to the implementation of the Chevron-Global Fund Anti-Retroviral Treatment Service Maintenance Program (ART) in Nigeria.

“The ART Program helps bridge a critical national health gap and continue Chevron’s work in achieving an AIDS-free generation. It will also reduce new HIV infections and improve the quality of life for the infected and affected people in the communities of the targeted states. Additionally, it will provide Nigerians with universal access to high-quality, patient-centered prevention, diagnosis and treatment services for tuberculosis, HIV and drug-resistant tuberculosis by 2020,” said Esimaje Brikinn, general manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited.

Our contribution has helped achieve these results between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2018:

• 19,786 people living with HIV received anti-retroviral therapy
• 542 HIV-positive pregnant women received anti-retroviral therapy
• 18,288 HIV-positive patients were screened for TB in HIV care or treatment settings

Mobile Testing Units in The Bay Area

In Oakland, California, Chevron partnered with the California Prevention Education Project (CAL-PEP) to expand its mobile HIV testing and treatment services. This year we are donating funds for the purchase of a new mobile hygiene unit that will complement CAL-PEP’s existing mobile HIV testing and counseling units, which service marginalized people in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, particularly the homeless who are at greater risk of HIV and are not able to get health services regularly. The new mobile hygiene unit will start providing health services in 2019.

We also partnered with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) to launch a mobile HIV testing unit in San Francisco in 2015. Since inception, the SFAF mobile testing unit has provided more than 5,000 HIV tests to people in the San Francisco Bay Area.

These examples of support to local communities reflect the long commitment we have had in the fight against AIDS, a commitment that was recognized by Chevron receiving the inaugural Corporate Pillar Award from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (see photograph below). This award recognizes companies whose leadership and partnership helps bring an end to the AIDS epidemic.

Friends of The Global Fight

In July 2018, Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, announced it had received a two-year, $1 million grant from Chevron. The grant will help expand Friends’ work to mobilize private sector, faith, youth and other partners for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and other programs aimed at ending these epidemics.

“With Chevron’s support, Friends can continue to grow the base of U.S. global health advocates in support of the Global Fund,” said Chris Collins, President of Friends. “The private sector is a crucial partner in global health financing, advocacy and local expertise. Companies like Chevron play a critical role in advocating for global health investments and innovative public-private solutions like the Global Fund.”

Friends is a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C. that advocates for U.S. support of the Global Fund and its goal to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Friends engages U.S. policymakers and influencers in conversations about the Global Fund’s lifesaving work, and highlights the significant returns on investment, including for the private sector.

“Chevron is pleased to support the important work of Friends, as an advocate, educator and convener, to end these epidemics,” said Dr. Huma Abbasi, Chevron’s general manager of Global Health and Medical. “Our success is tied to the health and prosperity of the communities where we operate. Through this partnership, we can help demonstrate to others that investments in global health are smart, strategic and good for our country’s humanitarian, diplomatic and economic interests.”

December 1 is an important reminder that HIV/AIDS has not gone away – there is still a vital need to increase awareness, fight stigma and improve education. Chevron is proud to continue in the fight so that one day we can celebrate a World AIDS Day where everyone is free of HIV and AIDS.

Read more Corporate Responsibility stories from Chevron here.