Page 5 - Trucking Wellness Annual Report 2016
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BACKGROUND
Trucking Wellness (previously known as Trucking Against AIDS) was launched to create awareness around HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections amongst long-distance truck drivers, commercial sex workers and those at risk such as driver spouses and partners.
Since 1999 the Programme has experienced exponential growth as a result of incorporating an extensive range of free primary healthcare services. These services are offered via the Programme’s 21 Trucking Wellness Roadside Centers, which are situated at truck stops across major routes in South Africa and supported by a fleet of sleek Mobile Wellness Centers. The incorporation of the mobile clinics is a more innovative way of looking after our valued members in the trucking industry because we now work on a system where we book a vehicle for ten days at a time for one specific area and then service all companies within that region. As a result, we are able to serve more members than ever before and work towards a healthier and more vibrant trucking industry.
Since the establishment of the Wellness Centers, there
has been a remarkable increase in the number of people gaining access to primary healthcare and being counseled about and tested for HIV infection.
Additionally we have increased our efforts to educate and motivate those within the trucking industry to live healthier lifestyles in general thereby creating a more productive labour force. These support efforts by the NBCRFLI directly reduces labour risk and expenses to members and positively impacts the stability and growth of the industry and the South African economy.
Trucking Wellness Annual Report 2016
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