INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

Scania a Swedish based company held a Truck/Bus Drivers’ competi-

tion on 1st October 2016, the process involved identification of drivers

to participate in the events referred to as the activation phase held in

the months of May and June 2016. Regional competitions were rolled

out in Mombasa, Nairobi and Eldoret from July to August 2016.

In recognition of the impact of HIV

and other health issues on long dis-

tance Truck/Bus drivers, the nation

-wide competition provided a great

opportunity to integrate HIV/

Wellness aspects. Scania partnered

with Swedish Workplace HIV/

AIDS Programme (SWHAP), Inter-

national labour Organization (ILO)

and LVCT Health to raise HIV

awareness and provide HIV and

Wellness Testing Services.

HIV has become one of the greatest

challenges facing the world of work

in Kenya and the region. In this re-

gard, ILO supports the establish-

ment of comprehensive HIV and

AIDS workplace programmes to

address most at risk populations

such as truck drivers and their fam-

ilies.

The productivity and success of

many organizations in all sectors in

the country’s economy have suf-

fered greatly in the recent past

because of HIV related poor health,

low morale, stigma, absenteeism

and loss of life amongst the work-

force.

The ILO/UNAIDS VCT @

WORK initiative launched in

2013 aspired to reach 5 million

workers with Voluntary and con-

fidential HIV Counselling and

Testing and ensure that those who

test positive are linked to care

and support, and treatment.

Phase 2 of the VCT @ Work ini-

tiative was launched in 2016. It is

in this regard that the ILO/

SWHAP partnership proposed to

add a HIV/Wellness package to

the planned Scania Driver’s Com-

petition (SDC) with LVCT

Health as the implementing part-

ner to ensure reach out to Truck

Drivers with HIV awareness mes-

sages and provision of onsite HIV

testing and counselling services

along identified weigh bridges/

hotspots in the transport corridor.

The initiative also targeted sex

workers at the identified hotspots

during the activation days of the

SDC. In a developing state such

as Kenya it is important to ensure

aspects of decent work are ob-

served at the work place so as to

deliver security, health, social protec-

tion for families, better prospects for

personal development and social inte-

gration.

What is more important in the discus-

sion of HIV and AIDS and truck driv-

ers, is the focus on their safety, health

and policies that are incorporated in

this particular sphere by the truck

owners and the truck drivers unions.

SWHAP, emphasizes on the need of

organizations and companies to edu-

cate on the importance of transiting

from HIV to wellness programmes as

it integrates a much wider and holistic

approach to scaling up the response to

HIV and AIDS.

Scania over the years has continued to

demonstrate excellent employee sup-

port programmes, comprehensive dis-

ease management and effective moni-

toring and reporting. In 2015 Scania

South Africa were acknowledged by

SWHAP as the honored beneficiaries’

award for the most comprehensive

Programme.

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INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

Scania, SWHAP, LVCT Health and

ILO partnership is a holistic exam-

ple on how companies, institutions

and employees can contribute to a

successful programme not only to

save lives but to also improve on

the work quality for everyone.

The transport corridor is an ideal

arena to address the causes and

implications of HIV and AIDS.

Drivers spend a lot of time on the

road; their nature of work auto-

matically separates them from

their families and exposes them to

the sex work sphere.

In this particular hierarchy of en-

gagement in sexual activity, it is

vital to address the drivers in HIV

mitigation strategies, as they go back

to their families after a while providing

a bridge to the general population. The

initiative resulted in 1162 males and

480 females knowing their HIV status.

Truck drivers also underwent wellness

checks to include Body Mass Index,

Fat percentage, Visceral fats and Blood

pressure measurements.

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Bus Driver In the Bus category beginning

his trial

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INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

Swedish Ambassador and head of

mission to Kenya Mr. Johan Borgstam

Scania EA After Sales director Mr. Hans

Hansson awarding the winners

A driver performing Checks Before

Driving exercise

Drivers tackling theory test on 6th of

August in Nairobi

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LVCT Mobile Clinic Ready for Counselling and

testing

Bus category