Press release -
Discovery commemorates World Aids Day with visit to Hillcrest Aids Centre
An estimated 33.3 million people worldwide are living with HIV. After nearly 30 years of this very complex epidemic being a part of the global consciousness, although we are seeing improvements in the treatment of the disease, there is no question that more needs to be done in this regard. Future progress in combatting the disease will depend heavily on the joint efforts of everyone involved in the HIV response.
Global progress in treating and preventing HIV emphasizes the benefits of sustaining investment in HIV/AIDS over the longer term. The latest report by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and UNAIDS indicates that increased access to HIV services resulted in a 15% reduction of new HIV/AIDS infections worldwide over the past decade and a 22% decline in AIDS-related deaths over the last five years.
Closer to home, 5.6 million people live with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Although new infections among mature age groups in South Africa remain high, new infections among teenagers are on the decline.
This is evidence that the current investments being made in the HIV response are leading to clear reductions in the epidemic. This includes the discrimination and stigma that the disease carries diminishing, easier access to information and services to reduce their risk of HIV infection, as well as making it easier to deliver the treatment, care and support to patients that will extend and improve the lives of those living with HIV and AIDS.
Discovery aims to provide a broad spectrum of services to manage the AIDS pandemic from the individual to the community. This is achieved by providing disease management programmes for HIV positive members on the Discovery Health Medical Scheme; Corporate Wellness programmes, which includes Discovery HIVCare for all employers with 35 and more employees; Discovery's Corporate Social Investment programmes and collaborations with government and non-government organisations; and supplementing primary healthcare delivery, especially in the area of HIV and AIDS care, counselling, testing and home-based care.
Through the Discovery Fund, an independent trust that addresses community healthcare challenges within previously disadvantaged communities throughout South Africa, Discovery currently supports xx community projects which all have a main focus on HIV and AIDS prevention and care.
Recently, Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi signed a ground breaking Social Compact with the CEO’s of some of the leading Healthcare Companies in South Africa, symbolising an acceptance that no single sector, whether it be the public or private sector, can individually or successfully confront the immense health challenges.
The partnership will focus on Human Resources and HIV and AIDS, the two important elements of the Department’s 10 Point Plan, and of mutual interest between the public and private sectors. For 2013 the partnership has prioritised the following projects, in addition to some of the work individual companies will continue to do as part of their Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programmes: These companies made a commitment of R40 million for the year 2013 which will be divided into three projects. In subsequent years, we will announce the financial commitments to the SA Public health enhancement fund, said the Health Minister.
“Having a social conscience is part of Discovery’s DNA. Discovery Health’s commitment to its core purpose of making people healthier extends beyond its members to the broader community. We are really excited by the shared value we create in the space to combat HIV and AIDS and to contribute and support the South African government in improving and strengthening not only the fight against HIV and AIDS, but also the healthcare system”, says Ruth Lewin, Head of Sustainability at Discovery.
Sustainability at Discovery.
One of the many projects that Discovery is involved in is the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust (HACT), based in KwaZulu Natal, which focuses on providing healthcare services for people living with HIV/AIDS. This facility provides a suite of programmes that respond to the HIV crisis through healthcare, poverty alleviation and prevention programmes in the communities in the Valley of 1000 Hills region – one of the country’s HIV hot spots. HACT’s services include testing and counselling, home-based care, respite and palliative inpatient care, an orphaned and vulnerable children outreach, HIV education in schools and workplaces, a horticulture project, granny support groups, a feeding scheme and various income generation projects. HACT’s mission is to provide unconditional love to all infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in a practical and sustainable way – it is a holistic HIV/AIDS project.
Thanks to support from Discovery, HACT has reached out to 3,500 direct beneficiaries and 20,000 indirect beneficiaries through its HIV care programme in the past three years. In the next three years, the project is anticipated to reach 5 250 direct beneficiaries and 63000 indirect beneficiaries.
Olivia Myeza, HACT CEO, say Discovery support has enabled the organisation to reach out to those most in need. “Our services are aimed at the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick – people who have slipped through the system and been left to die at home alone. Our home based carers become aware of these people in the communities, and they are bought into our respite unit. Here, medical care, love and an environment of acceptance and support helps roughly 60 percent of patients recover and eventually go home and back to work or normal life. For the patients who do pass away in the respite unit, we give thanks that they were afforded a dignified death in a loving environment. And we celebrate each and every second chance that we are able to give people – it is an honour to be able to witness so many people coming in so sick, and leaving strong enough to return to their normal lives, and with a great sense of hope
Since 2007, Discovery has invested over a million rand towards the care programme, thereby helping to provide a sustainable solution to the enormous need in South Africa for home-based care and palliative treatment of HIV and AIDS.
Topics
Discovery information
Discovery is an authorised financial services provider.
Discovery operates in the healthcare cover market in South Africa, the United Kingdom and China; the life assurance market in South Africa and the United Kingdom; as well as the long-term savings and investment market, and short-term insurance market in South Africa.
Vitality, Discovery’s wellness programme, is the world’s largest scientific, incentive-based wellness solution. It provides individual and corporate wellness initiatives in South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States and China. The global Vitality membership base now exceeds three million lives.
Discovery’s core purpose is to make people healthier, and to enhance and protect their lives through financial products that clients need and want.
South African operations
Discovery Health
- Launched in 1992, Discovery Health is South Africa’s largest healthcare funder and manager of medical schemes. It manages 14 medical schemes.
- This includes the Discovery Health Medical Scheme, which has a 50% share in the open medical schemes market, making it South Africa’s largest open medical scheme.
- The Discovery Health Medical Scheme covers more than 2.3 million lives.
- The Scheme is the only one in South Africa to enjoy an AA+ rating for its claims paying ability, the highest possible credit rating from international rating agency Global Credit Ratings.
- The Discovery Health Medical Scheme holds over R7.4 billion in reserves.
- Discovery Health pioneered consumer-driven healthcare in South Africa with the introduction of innovations like the Medical Savings Account and its wellness programme, Vitality.
- Discovery Health was voted the top medical aid brand in the Sunday Times Top Brands survey for both 2010 and 2011.
- Discovery Health was voted the top healthcare product supplier at the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Financial Intermediaries Association of Southern Africa (FIA) Awards.
Discovery Life
Discovery Life was launched in 2000 and is South Africa’s fastest growing major life assurer in the risk market, having captured 25% of the overall risk broker market.
- It was the first South African insurer to separate risk from investment, leading significant change in the industry.
- The value of its business is now more than R1.6 billion.
- Discovery Life was voted the top life assurer in the Sunday Times Top Brands survey for both 2010 and 2011.
- Discovery Life was voted the top risk and life assurance supplier at the 2010 Financial Intermediaries’ Association of Southern Africa (FIA) Awards and the top long-term insurer: recurring savings at the 2011 FIA Awards.
Discovery Invest
Discovery Invest was launched in October 2007 and declared its maiden profit in 2010.
- Discovery Invest combines the breadth and skill of the asset management industry with the existing research and development capabilities of Discovery Life.
- The company offers consumers a unique and comprehensive product range that addresses the current gaps in the market by offering greater protection against poor investment choices.
- Discovery Invest now has more than R24 billion in assets under management.
- Through Discovery Invest’s LISP platform, clients have access to over 329 local and 65 offshore investment funds.
- In 2011 and 2012, Discovery Invest received the Financial Intermediaries Association of Southern Africa (FIA) award in the investment product: recurring premium category.
Discovery Vitality
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Launched in 1997, Vitality is Discovery’s science-based wellness programme that underpins each of the Discovery businesses and is an international brand in its own right.
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Vitality encourages healthy behaviours that reduce long-term healthcare costs by rewarding members for improving their health.
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There are now more than 1.5 million Vitality members in South Africa.
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Vitality is accredited by the Sports Science Institute of South Africa.
- The HealthyLiving™ benefit offers Vitality members up to 25% cash back on HealthyCare™ products at Clicks, HealthyGear™ at adidas and TotalSports stores, and HealthyFood™ items at Pick n Pay.
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The Vitality value offering is enhanced by the DiscoveryCard, Discovery’s unique Visa credit card which gives members real cash back.
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Launched in 2004, the DiscoveryCard is the largest non-bank card in issue, with an 8.9% share of point-of-sales spend.
Discovery Insure
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Discovery Insure was launched in May 2011.
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This pioneering product was created by leveraging the behavioural expertise developed in the Vitality programme with the latest telematics technology.
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The unique Vitalitydrive programme encourages and rewards better driving behaviour and ensuring that vehicles are roadworthy.
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At the heart of Vitalitydrive is the DQ-Track telematics device that measures and resports crucial aspects of driving behaviour.
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Vitalitydrive provides up to 50% fuel rewards on clients’ monthly BP fuel spend.
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Discovery Insure offers comprehensive vehicle, personal and household cover.
International operations
United Kingdom
In the UK, Discovery has a 75% shareholding in a joint venture with Prudential plc. Through PruHealth and PruProtect, the company offers healthcare cover and protection products.
PruHealth
Launched in 2004, PruHealth is the fourth largest private medical insurer in the UK and the only one that rewards people for leading a healthy lifestyle.
- It offers consumer-directed products linked to the Vitality wellness programme.
- In 2010, Discovery acquired Standard Life Healthcare, thereby leveraging the significant assets of both companies and resulting in greater scale for PruHealth.
- PruHealth has won several awards for its product innovations.
PruProtect
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PruProtect, which was launched in 2007, markets consumer-engaged life assurance products in the UK market.
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The company’s products integrate with those of PruHealth and Vitality to unlock added value and significant premium savings for clients.
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The company has become a major player in the UK protection market.
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PruProtect has received industry recognition, including awards in four categories at the 2011 Defacto Awards. The company was also named Best Individual Protection Provider in 2011 by Professional Adviser, and walked off with the Innovation Award at the 2011 Protection Review.
United States
The Vitality Group
The Vitality Group was launched in 2007 and offers a stand-alone version of the Vitality programme to self-insured, large employer groups and to healthcare carriers.
- Discovery holds a 75% share in The Vitality Group, 25% being held by Humana Inc.
- The Vitality Group has entered into a partnership with Wellness and Prevention, a subsidiary of Johnson&Johnson, the world’s premier consumer health company.
- In 2011, the group was awarded the C Everett Koop National Health Award for its work with Alcon Laboratories, a highly prestigious award recognising outstanding workplace health improvement programmes.
HumanaVitality
Launched in 2011, HumanaVitality is a joint venture between Humana Inc and Discovery (through The Vitality Group) that makes Vitality available to Humana clients with commercial medical plans.
- Discovery holds a 25% share in HumanaVitality.
- Humana Inc is the fourth largest health insurer in the US with 18 million members.
- HumanaVitality now has more than 1.1 million Vitality members.
China
Ping An Health
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Ping An Health was launched in China in 2010, after Discovery acquired a 20% share in Ping An Health Insurance Co of China Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China.
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Ping An Insurance is China’s leading insurer and the second largest in the world.
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The joint venture will see Discovery’s product innovation and consumer-engaged model exported to a potential market of 83 million families.
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Vitality was launched in China through Ping An Health in May 2012.
