Teaching skills to fight HIV/AIDS

In the context of the Pepal Leadership Challenge program a few Janssen employees have been visiting Uganda every year since 2009 to teach the people of ngo TASO (The Aids Support Organization) structure and skills which they can use in their local operations to fight HIV/AIDS.
Every group of 2-4 Janssen employees is in Uganda for a week and then works with the Ugandan partners remotely for six months. The program links managers of local Ugandan health centers and NGOs to Janssen managers. During this program a specific plan of action is developed to improve the local management of healthcare institutions.
One of the participating healthcare centers was giving the national award for 'best performing health center' in Uganda. According to the medical director this was due to the innovation brought by the project. By rolling out a leadership training program we can transfer the knowledge and experience of all participants, which will be a foundation for better access to healthcare services and a dignified existence.

Participants visit several healthcare centers to offer training programs there. The final goal is to reach about 380 medical centers in 2015, which will affect 7.5 million people in several areas. The project brings sustainable change both in Uganda and within Janssen. Due to the collaboration and exchanges with organizations in the South diversity becomes an extra asset of the company. To date about 20 Janssen employees took part.