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Rio Tinto Wins Health Award for Community Investment in Guinea
06/08/2011 - Rio Tinto, through its subsidiary Simfer S.A, has been selected as a winner of the 2011 Global Business Coalition Health Business Action on Health Awards for its work on malaria and HIV/AIDS prevention in the communities surrounding the Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea.
Rio Tinto, through its subsidiary Simfer S.A, has been selected as a winner of the 2011 Global Business Coalition Health Business Action on Health Awards for its work on malaria and HIV/AIDS prevention in the communities surrounding the Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea.
The awards, presented by the Global Business Coalition Health, recognize the best corporate programs developed to address global health needs.
The Guinean HIV/AIDS infection rate in 2005 was 1.5%, according to Rio Tinto. This figure ranges from 2.4% in urban to 1% in rural areas. Knowledge of HIV is low among men (18.4%) and women (13.8%).
Rio Tinto's community malaria and HIV/AIDS program in Guinea partners with the government's National Malaria Control Program, local sub-prefectural health centers, bilateral aid agencies, and NGOs to provide reinforcement and logistical support to existing public health efforts and ensure program sustainability.
Rio Tinto and its partners are working to provide local access to services by setting up a treatment facility in the prefecture. The projects are fully aligned with the national strategy in combating HIV/AIDS and malaria. Through partnership with Government, bilateral aid agencies, and NGOs, the projects aim to strengthen universal access to prevention, treatment, care, and support.
The award was collected by Thierno Diallo, Rio Tinto General Manager Economic Development and Government Relations. He said: "Rio Tinto has been recognized for our innovative approach to partnership in Guinea, cooperating with government, bilateral aid agencies, and NGOs to ensure the health and safety of our local communities. We are honored and proud to receive this prestigious award, and wish to pay particular thanks to our employees and community team, our partners, without whom our project could not have been such a success."
Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group headquartered in the U.K., combining Rio Tinto plc, a London and NYSE listed company, and Rio Tinto Ltd., which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Its business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Major products are aluminum, copper, diamonds, energy (coal and uranium), gold, industrial minerals (borax, titanium dioxide, salt, talc), and iron ore. Activities span the world but are strongly represented in Australia and North America with significant businesses in South America, Asia, Europe, and southern Africa.
