Truck drivers, farmers given hope for a brighter future
Jul 26, 2009
JAMES Mugerwa, a truck driver in Njeru Town Council, Mukono district, had never thought of testing for HIV. Like many long distance truck drivers, Mugerwa had sleept with different women, including prostitutes.
By Elvis Basudde
JAMES Mugerwa, a truck driver in Njeru Town Council, Mukono district, had never thought of testing for HIV. Like many long distance truck drivers, Mugerwa had sleept with different women, including prostitutes.
But he was shocked to learn he was HIV-negative and vowed to stick to one partner. He tested at a community-based HIV/AIDS programme sponsored by Nile Breweries in conjuction with St Francis Health Care in Njeru.
Onapito Ekomoloit, the corporate affairs director of Nile Breweries, says the programme named ‘from grain to glass’ enhances quality of life among employees and their dependants in Njeru.
“If you know your status, you can seek treatment if you are infected and remain negative if you are not infected yet.â€
Seventy-one spouses have received voluntary counselling and testing and 18 of them are receiving care.
The programme caters for truck drivers, hospitality workers, sorghum and barley farmers and HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children.
Since 2007, some 248 truck drivers have been trained and 56 have reported for counselling and testing. Also 800 hospitality workers have been trained in Mukono, Fort Portal, Kasese, Rakai, Lyantonde, Nebbi, Masindi, Mbale and Busia districts.
The trainees are given free condoms, counselling, testing and treatment at the clinic.
JAMES Mugerwa, a truck driver in Njeru Town Council, Mukono district, had never thought of testing for HIV. Like many long distance truck drivers, Mugerwa had sleept with different women, including prostitutes.
But he was shocked to learn he was HIV-negative and vowed to stick to one partner. He tested at a community-based HIV/AIDS programme sponsored by Nile Breweries in conjuction with St Francis Health Care in Njeru.
Onapito Ekomoloit, the corporate affairs director of Nile Breweries, says the programme named ‘from grain to glass’ enhances quality of life among employees and their dependants in Njeru.
“If you know your status, you can seek treatment if you are infected and remain negative if you are not infected yet.â€
Seventy-one spouses have received voluntary counselling and testing and 18 of them are receiving care.
The programme caters for truck drivers, hospitality workers, sorghum and barley farmers and HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children.
Since 2007, some 248 truck drivers have been trained and 56 have reported for counselling and testing. Also 800 hospitality workers have been trained in Mukono, Fort Portal, Kasese, Rakai, Lyantonde, Nebbi, Masindi, Mbale and Busia districts.
The trainees are given free condoms, counselling, testing and treatment at the clinic.