Diamond mining major De Beers Group has not recorded any cases of tuberculosis (TB) among its permanent South African employees in 2019.

South Africa’s overall TB infection figure is about 567 per 100 000 people, with the country’s mining industry at about 435 per 100 000 people, according to the Minerals Council South Africa, explains De Beers Group senior occupational health manager Dr Tshepo Sedibe.

He explains that, among De Beers Group’s South African contractors, the incidents of TB infection are 90 per 100 000 workers.

These figures are in stark contrast with De Beers Group’s employee infection rate of zero in South Africa, which Sedibe claims is “unheard of” in the mining industry.

He notes that this achievement has led to De Beers Group partnering with independent research organisations so that the methodologies that led to this level of success might be studied to assist in lowering infection rates elsewhere.

Sedibe says this achievement has to be recognised in conjunction with the company’s improved human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (Aids) management programme.

“It is quite difficult to talk about TB and not talk about HIV/Aids,” he says, explaining that the former is often influenced by the latter.

He says De Beers Group ensures that, along with antiretroviral treatment, those living with HIV/Aids also receive a TB prophylaxis, which is in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) strategy to combat TB.

Therefore, a significant part of De Beers Group’s successful treatment and avoidance of TB in South Africa, is influenced by the company’s intensive HIV/Aids awareness and treatment campaigns.

Sedibe explains that De Beers Group has an intensive screening programme in place for all employees, which not only determines which employees might have TB but also – through a comprehensive WHO questionnaire – identifies potential contact with possible TB carriers outside the workforce, such as family and friends.

This intensive investigation and screening procedure helps to ensure that those who might be infected or might be in danger of becoming infected can receive treatment and intervention as early as possible.

Sedibe says such screenings are performed about four times a year, during the mandatory yearly employee medical surveillance, as well as during several wellness campaigns that the company conducts year-round.

During wellness campaigns, employees are also encouraged to be tested for HIV/Aids so that they might receive treatment if they have been infected.

Although the wellness campaigns are a good way of promoting testing, employees can be tested for HIV/Aids at any time at any one of the company’s on-site clinics, Sedibe comments.

“We are looking at putting together a policy on self-testing, whereby an individual can obtain a kit to self-test for HIV/Aids at home,” he states, adding that this was prompted by the stigma that continues to be associated with HIV/Aids, and the company’s wanting to support employees’ rights to confidentiality.

Sedibe notes that De Beers Group executives lead by example, ensuring that they are tested for HIV/Aids frequently to encourage all other employees to do the same.

“We think it is empowering to know your status, and we encourage all our employees to determine theirs,” Sedibe emphasises.

In alignment with the 90-90-90 goals laid out by the United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS), De Beers Group aims to ensure that, every year, 90% of its employees and contractors are tested for HIV/Aids and know their status, that 90% of those who are living with HIV/Aids will receive antiretroviral treatment, and that 90% of those receiving antiretroviral treatment will achieve viral suppression.

Global figures, according to UNAIDS, indicate that 79% of people with HIV/Aids know their status, about 60% of those living with HIV/Aids are on antiretroviral therapy and only about 53% of those living with the virus have achieved viral suppression.

Sedibe tells Mining Weekly that, as at the end of September, 74% of De Beers Group employees and contractors knew their status, 98% of those infected with HIV/Aids are receiving antiretroviral therapy and, of those receiving treatment, about 91% have achieved viral suppression.

He is confident that 90% of employees and contractors will know their status by year-end. Last year, the company achieved 89% – a vast improvement on the company’s figure of only 26% in 2015, when the 90-90-90 goals were first adopted.

Moreover, De Beers Group can now boast 11 years of ensuring 100% prevention of perinatal mother-to-child transmission of HIV/Aids among employees and employee dependants.

“Our main objective is to ensure that people know their status because we firmly believe that if they know, they tend to do something about it, and the earlier they know, the better,” Sedibe says.

He adds that those who are receiving treatment for the HIV/Aids and TB are, surprisingly, less likely to be absent from work and generally seem to have a higher morale than those who are not infected.

“It is because, with the help of intensive treatment and therapy, they are more mindful of their health and are, therefore, doing far better than an average citizen,” he says.

Further studies into this phenomenon are ongoing.