Click on the respective links to find out more about the first and third modules.

A business perspective on HIV/Aids – Dr Jenika Gobind, senior lecturer at the Wits Business School 

Jenika, a PgDip and MPhil alumnus of the Africa Centre, is an expert in employment relations. Her research and teaching areas of focus are HR management and HIV/Aids and gender issues in the world of work. The foundational premise of this unit is that the existence of HIV/Aids in the workplace requires strategic HR management, which takes a more holistic view of employees than traditional HR management. 

To help students gain a deeper understanding, Jenika touched on the following elements:

• The key functions of HR management, including internal and external methods of recruitment  
• Understanding how the design of a job affects employee motivation and performance
• Distinguishing between the different concepts relating to training and development
• The difference between performance management and performance appraisal
• The essentials for an effective employee assistance programme
• The impact of HIV/Aids on the workplace

Social responsibility and HIV/Aids – Dr Luckmore Chivandire, consolidoc fellow at the Africa Centre

Looking at HIV/Aids management through a wider lens, Luckmore provided an introduction to corporate social responsibility (CSR) – what it is and why it’s important for businesses and society. This included examples of CSR implementation in real-world business settings to help students gain practical insights. 

Ethics and leadership in HIV/Aids management – Dr Munya Saruchera, senior lecturer at the Africa Centre 

The importance of ethics and leadership to sustainability has been in the spotlight for years, especially as a focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles emerged as central elements of a sustainability strategy. In the context of the HIV/Aids epidemic, where issues such as stigmitisation, discrimination and healthcare corruption are all at play, quality and ethical leadership is vital. Munya unpacked the meaning and importance of ethics, values in a leadership context and what this means in practice. Ethics cannot be considered in a vacuum because the social context dictates how the principles of ethics are applied and interpreted, e.g. the unequal status of key populations and women in most societies makes them vulnerable to HIV infection.

A new era of inclusive health management 

The Africa Centre is in the process of being repositioned as a centre for inclusive health management, with a strategic focus on critical management approaches towards universal health coverage. Our academic programmes and research focused on HIV/Aids management will remain intact. To provide students with a better understanding of what it will mean in practice and why is it important, process facilitator Rudy Oosterwyk discussed the planned shift with students. The repositioning will be rolled out over the next few months, so keep an eye out for more updates.