Exploring Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Programmes in the South African Police Services in Tshwane West Clusters, Gauteng Province

Abstract

Affordable and accessible preventive health programmes within the South African Police Service (SAPS) could be the best measures for managing epidemic diseases in the organisation. Employee health and wellness (EHW) programmes, including those dealing with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), are often the subjects of debate among scholars and human resource management practitioners within the context of developing effective and efficient interventions in the workplace to enhance the health management of employees. This study explores the nature and extent of the employee wellness programmes that focus on HIV/AIDS in the SAPS. In particular, the research examines how EHW practitioners in the SAPS experience the programmes and what support they receive regarding HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Data were collected from six EHW practitioners using semi-structured interviews. The study finds that HIV/AIDS programmes are categorised into different interventions, each with advantages and purpose. The findings will help determine if the HIV/AIDS programmes effectively cater to the health needs of employees within the SAPS. The findings from this study are limited to six EHW practitioners’ experiences in relation to how they perceive the employee wellness programmes in the SAPS, more specifically, the HIV/AIDS programmes.

Go hwetšagala ga mananeo a maphelo a thibelo ao a bolokegilego, ao a sa turego le a go fihlelelega ka gare ga Tirelo ya Maphodisa ya Afrika Borwa (SAPS) e ka ba legato le lekaone la thibelo la go laola malwetši a leuba ka gare ga tirelo ye. Mananeo a bophelo bjo bokaone bja bašomi, go akaretšwa ao a šomago ka twatši ya go palediša mašole a mmele go šoma (HIV) le bolwetši bja go šitwa ga mašole a mmele (AIDS), gantši ke seo se dirago gore dirutegi di ngangišane le bašomi ba lefapha la bašomi mabapi le go tšweletša ditsenogare tšeo di šomago gabotse le tša go hloka mathata ka mošomong ka nepo ya go maatlafatša taolo ya maphelo a bašomi. Maikemišetšomagolo a dinyakišišo e bile go utolla sebopego le bogolo bja mananeo a maphelo a makaone a bašomi ka go SAPS ao a lebeletšego kudu HIV/AIDS. Dinyakišišo di dirilwe go tseba ka fao bašomi ba maphelo a bašomi le go phela gabotse (EHW) ga bona ka SAPS ba itemogetšego mananeo ao le gore ke thekgo efe ye ba e hwetšago mabapi le HIV/AIDS ka mošomong. Dipotšišo tša dipoledišano tšeo di nyakago gore baarabi ba fe mabaka di dirilwe ka nepo ya go kgoboketša tshedimošo go tšwa go bašomi ba tshela (6) ba EHW ba ka SAPS bao ba kgathilego tema ka dinyakišišong. Dikutollo di laetša gore mananeo a HIV/AIDS a hlophilwe ka mehuta ye e fapafapanego ya ditsenogare, gomme le lengwe le le lengwe le na le menyetla le maikemišetšo a lona. Dikutollo tše di tla ba mohola go tseba ge eba mananeo a HIV/AIDS a šoma gabotse go hlokomela dinyakwa tša maphelo tša bašomi ka gare ga SAPS. Dikutollo go tšwa ka mo dinyakišišong tše di tšwa fela go maitemogelo a bašomi ba tshela ba EHW mabapi le ka fao ba bonago mananeo a mabapi le go phela gabotse ga bašomi ka SAPS, kudukudu, mananeo a HIV/AIDS.