The HIV/AIDS pandemic has had a devastating effect in the world, as it is now rated as the world’s greatest killer since its appearance in the mid 1980s. A UNICEF Report (2005) states that sub Saharan Africa is the hardest hit with countries like Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique having an average of one in every five adults being infected. Sub Saharan Africa has less than 3 percent of the world’s population but it has an estimated 65 percent of the world’s population living with HIV/AIDS as it has 26 million of the 40 million infected people worldwide. In May 2003 the Government of Zimbabwe declared HIV/AIDS a national emergency a move that seems to have yielded results as the HIV prevalence rate has come down from 26.1 percent to 18.6 percent in 2005 and further to 15.6 percent in 2007. The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare (2004) states that if the prevalence had continued at 26.1 percent, about two thirds of today’s 15- year-olds would die from this disease. The deterioration of the political, social and economic situation since 1999 and the withdrawal of donor development support due to policy differences require concerted efforts from all parties concerned, now, rather than later. More commitment must be shown by private and public sector organisations to active participation in the establishing of effective workplace programmes, to assist employees, for the pandemic has placed a heavy strain on the health delivery system, as AIDS patients occupy between 50 percent to 70 percent of all hospital beds. Furthermore, the pandemic is killing the youth at the prime of their working careers so the pandemic, while being a health problem also has a negative macro-economic impact which may lead to a developmental crisis. A study was conducted of six organisations, using two questionnaires, one for management and one for non-management level employees. The study investigates whether the organisations had HIV/AIDS programmes and whether such programmes were effective. The findings were that all six organisations had HIV/AIDS programmes in place. However, some of the programmes were not effective because the employees did not know of their existence. Furthermore, it was found that management initiated awareness programmes and made condoms available but the employees were not changing their risky behaviour.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study was carried out for the purpose of establishing how young working adults perceive the effect of billboards on HIV and AIDS awareness in Zimbabwe. The study sample was taken from the Directorate of Pharmacy Services, a department within the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare of Zimbabwe, located in the capital city of Harare. A representative number of women (40%) out of the 15 participants were interviewed as certain responses were required based on a participants gender. In-depth interviews were carried, the sections covered positioning and appearance of billboards, billboard content and general aspects. 47% of the participants regarded the billboards as well located, 40% felt that there are adequate numbers of billboards, 47% perceived them as attractive and not needing any improvements while 67% described them as well laid out. The language used on them was said to be fine by 73%, and gender-sensitive by only 33% (of which the majority were men). All the women felt that the billboard contents are sensitising the public to HIV and AIDS as well as most of the men (67% participants in total). However all the participants see billboards as not the best method to bring about HIV and AIDS awareness, but would want a multi-media approach so that they compliment other methods. Billboard usage for HIV and AIDS awareness is making a significant impact but there is room for improvement, and many recommendations were derived from this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie is onderneem met die doel om te bepaal hoe jong werkende volwassenes die effek van advertensieborde rakende MIV en VIGS-bewustheid in Zimbabwe ondervind. Die studie is onderneem in die Direktoraat vir Apterkersdienste, 'n afdeling binne die Ministerie van Gesondheid en Kinderwelsyn van Zimbabwe, wat in die hoofstad, Harare, geleë is. Daar is onderhoude gevoer met ‘n verteenwoordigende aantal vroue (40%) vanuit die 15 deelnemers, aangesien sekere response benodig was op grond van geslag. In-diepte onderhoude is gevoer en die afdelings het die volgende gedek: posisionering en die voorkoms van advertensieborde, inhoud van advertensieborde sowel as algemene aspekte daar rondom. 47% van die deelnemers het gevoel dat die advertensieborde goed geleë is, 40% het gevoel dat daar voldoende getalle advertensieborde is, 47% het gevoel dat die borde aantreklik is en nie verbeteringe benodig nie, terwyl 67% voel dat hul goed uitgelê is. 73% van die deelnemers het gevoel dat die taal wat op die borde gebruik word goed is. Slegs 33% het gevoel dat die borde geslagsensitief is (waarvan die meerderheid mans was). Al die vroue het gevoel dat die inhoud van die reklameborde die publiek sensitiseer tot MIV en VIGS, so ook meeste van die mans (67%). Al die deelnemers voel dat advertensieborde nie die beste metode is om MIV en VIGS-bewustheid te bring nie, maar stel ‘n multi-media benadering voor om ander metodes te komplimenteer. Die gebruik van advertensieborde het ‘n beduidende impak op MIV en VIGS-bewustheid, maar daar is ruimte vir verbetering en baie aanbevelings is afgelei uit hierdie studie.