Wellness & Fitness

Private sector has key role to play in fight against HIV

HIV

Businesses have expertise that could help stop spread of epidemic. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2014 set an ambitious goal towards reversing losses in the HIV and AIDs pandemic globally. Amongst a raft of targets, an initiative dubbed the 90-90-90 strategy was crafted.

This sought to have 90 per cent of the population tested for HIV virus infection and to know their status, have 90 per cent of those testing positive on HIV treatment and finally viral suppression in 90 per cent of those on antiretroviral treatment, rendering them incapable of transmitting the virus.

All three were to be achieved by 2020. Already as we start winding up 2018, it seems a rather ambitious timeline given lessons from similar previous global calls for action — the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Taking stock of the global and Kenya’s progress status as per August, there seems to be a fear that unless additional energy is injected, this rallying call too will end up being off target like the above two.

Progress seems to have been made, but to a large extent, the biggest risk seems to be that the initiative has been placed in the hands of the government solely. Sadly, a seemingly recurring theme across many health interventions, begging the question whether the private sector has a role to play in such endeavours.

Across the private sector, valuable learning points can be gleaned that governments lack expertise or do not deliver in an efficient way.

What seems to be clear is that many firms are not keen to give money to governments directly but can offer time and skills in their area of expertise as a contribution. Why and how can the private sector participate?

The private sector has a history of research development and innovation that are missing in the public sector.

Most are enterprise-driven and have high levels of optimisation as well as intelligent data analytics to guide and shape their business models.

A realisation that they are part of the social fabric and must participate in public health concerns is emerging and we can leverage such strengths and expertise towards turning the tide?

Company A sells and delivers 500,000 products daily for the last three decades. Firm B handles a million transactions across its system and knows each individual transaction’s history. Firm C designs data architecture and storage. Company D has global awards in product marketing and client ‘persuasion’.

What if these skills united in the HIV/Aids war?

Fortunately, many private sector industry captains now see the need to support public health problems both as individuals and also as organisations. We must accept this goodwill and utilise the proffered expertise in our approaches.