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Going to the front in the battle against HIV/AIDS
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BD associates around the world are engaged in a Company-wide effort to combat HIV/AIDS. In May 2005, 10 associates from geographically diverse locations converged on Zambia–where 16 percent of the population is HIV-positive–for two weeks to volunteer their services at five rural healthcare facilities in collaboration with the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB). This is the first of what is anticipated to be many more BD-sponsored volunteer initiatives that address global healthcare issues.
It was a busy and memorable period of time. Albert Scius, a BD associate from Pont de Claix, France, rose early each morning for a full day’s work in a lab. “The lab needed help, needed processes and organization, but the lab technician was positive and did his best to improve,” he recalled. “It was easy to convince people once they saw you roll up your sleeves and go to work beside them.”
Shrita Smith, an associate from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, worked at St. Luke’s Mission Hospital in Mpanshya. Recalling her experience, she said, “Many local people come to the facility for testing, treatment and monitoring of malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS and parasitic infections, as well as prenatal and nutritional counseling. In a country where so much of the population is HIV positive, AIDS is a primary concern in Zambia’s healthcare facilities. There is a conscious effort to educate and inform people about HIV/AIDS, the importance of knowing your status, being tested and getting treatment.”
Tom Braden, a BD associate from San Diego, said, “This volunteer program brings BD values to associates in a way that is very personal, as well as extremely rewarding for those fortunate
enough to participate. It also shows the world that we don’t just
talk about BD values, we truly believe in them and support them
by giving the most valuable asset we have to offer, our time.”
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