Big business weighs in to fight Aids pandemic. (News Round-Up).

Gold-mining company Anglo American has become the latest multinational business operating in southern Africa to offer free anti-Aids drugs to HIV-positive workers.

The move follows similar initiatives by diamond producer De Beers and financial house Old Mutual. Big business has been forced to step in because governments in the region cannot cope with the scale of the problem.

With more than 20 per cent of its economically active population HIV-positive, South Africa has the highest infection rate in the world. Government estimates show that a comprehensive treatment programme would swallow up the country's annual health budget.

The cost to companies of free provision is unclear. Some analysts estimate that, with one in five of Anglo American's 90,000 employees HIV-positive, the treatment bill could amount to more than 1 billion [pounds sterling] over 10 years. But the companies argue that there is a sound business rationale behind their strategy. A spokesman for Anglo American said: "The state does not provide HIV treatment for the population at large. We provide medical care for all sorts of diseases. This well may help to stem the costs of absenteeism and retraining."

Other analysts argue that the costs will not be so high, because the programme will apply only to those workers who need treatment but aren't entitled to it under state or private medical schemes. Also, when workers have retired their treatment will be the responsibility not of the company but of the government.

There is also a view that more firms in the region may soon have no choice but to provide free anti-Aids drugs if they want an active workforce. Gold Fields, South Africa's second-biggest gold producer, recently launched an enhanced HIV/Aids prevention scheme.

"If we don't do anything about this, it will kill our businesses," said a company spokesman.