The project will promote access and engagement with free and established health services where drivers already gather, with the aim of reducing perceived barriers to quality health services in local clinics. Key messaging around improved cargo and road safety, developed in partnership with transport industry leaders, will also be placed in local clinics.
Sam Clark, head of programmes for Transaid, said: “The amount of time drivers spend on the road limits their access to healthcare and up-to-date information such as road safety risks. Our goal with this project is to improve access to all of these without making big changes to their normal day-to-day activities.”
Transaid will be working in conjunction with North Star Alliance, operating out of its Jomvu Roadside Wellness Centre in Mombasa, which is strategically located along the Northern Corridor near the port enclave to target mobile populations, like long-distance drivers, at the start of their journey. It was constructed from converted shipping containers and provides primary healthcare services, including HIV prevention and infectious disease screening, from trained clinical teams.”
The World Health Organisation reported that 1.19 million road traffic fatalities occur annually (2023), with numbers continuing to rise in low and middle-income countries – placing a significant burden on health services which are already over-stretched.
Road traffic fatalities are now the leading cause of death for individuals aged 5-29 years in sub-Saharan Africa, frequently affecting the most economically active individuals, which in turn further exacerbates household poverty.