Log books for truck drivers

Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
THE Government is considering introducing log books at ports of entry and every district countrywide to monitor the movement of truck drivers and commercial sex workers who are deemed key in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa told journalists at a Press conference at the end of the 67th World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Africa here on Friday that there was a need to intensify strategies to deal with STIs and HIV and Aids.

The decision follows recommendations at the conference for member states to integrate issues of sexually transmitted diseases into primary health care. Among other recommendations was the need to focus on human resource development with a view to containing brain drain and shortage of health personnel, strengthening health systems, controlling environmental determinants on health ending yellow fever outbreaks as well as dealing with non-communicable diseases. Dr Parirenyatwa said HIV and Aids and other STIs in key populations should be dealt with at district level.

“The issue of truck drivers is a big issue not only in relation to STIs but to HIV and Aids as well. Truck drivers are one of the key populations outside commercial sex workers hence we need to address this,” he said.

Dr Parirenyatwa said a log book would help in coming up with trends on people’s movements as well as possible loopholes that result in the spread of some diseases.

“We need to address this at district level especially at growth points. District Aids Committees should be very active in that regard and maybe we can consider the issue of having a log book like they do in Thailand. The log book will be used to record everyone who passes by, where they sleep and who they are with,” he said.

Truck drivers are considered one of the target groups in the spread of STIs and HIV and Aids because of their mobility across borders. Commercial sex work is also rife at truck stops where they park for days to have their cars and goods cleared by border authorities and to rest.

WHO regional director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti called on member states to re-activate intervention and preventive measures initiated some years back at the height of HIV and Aids pandemic.

“The strategies recommended give an opportunity to refocus on prevention. There is a need to persist with intervention. The issue of truck drivers as well as fishermen and cross border traders such as women who trade on fish calls for countries to go back and restart some of the work done more than a decade ago to deal with these health issues,” she said.

Besides STIs, delegates who were drawn from 42 countries deliberated on how collaborative efforts can be put in place to fight polio, yellow fever, and communicable and non-communicable diseases which are also a challenge. -@ncubeleon