LAGOS — HIV/AIDS,tuberculosis and malaria have caused more than five million deaths per year and represent one of the world’s major public health challenges as we move into the second decade of the 21st century.

Chairman, Friends Africa and CEO, Access Bank Plc, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, stated this at the 2011 Access Bank/Friends Africa SME workplace policy development workshop in Lagos, Wednesday.

Represented by Omobolanle Babatunde, Aig-Imoukhuede said, “HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria are no longer viewed as only health problems but as part of a broader developmental crisis. These triple pandemics disproportionately affect Africans more than any other continents in the world. They undermine countries’ productive capacities, perpetuate poverty, exacerbate social problems, overwhelm health services, weaken the workforce of the private sector and threaten national security.

“It is our responsibility, therefore, as the private sector to take action and join forces with the public sector to address these pandemics. This was what attracted us to the SME workplace policy workshop, to galvanise businesses to help fight the diseases, in partnership with Friends Africa and other technical partners which includes GBC Health.”

CEO/Founder, Friends Africa, Dr Akudo Ikemba, on her part said: “If we are to scale back these diseases, and propel Africa into the 21st century, we need to possess the understanding of their prevention, detection and treatment. African businesses benefit the most from a healthy Africa, as they have a larger, more affluent market to buy their products and from which to draw their employees.”

She explained that top companies of the world implement strong workplace health policies, as they recognise the benefits accrued from healthy and happy employees.