TCI Foundation (TCIF), the social arm of Transport Corporation of India Ltd. - India’s leading integrated supply chain and logistics solutions provider, is at the Auto Expo 2010 but with a different mission altogether. TCI Foundation has set up a sensitisation camp at the auto Expo 2010, under their national HIV / AIDS prevention program called “Project Kavach”, which is an endeavour to arrest the spread of HIV/AIDS amongst long Distance Truckers. The objective of the initiative was to sensitise the industry partners to the vulnerability of the truck drivers to HIV/AIDS. Apart from the sensitisation camp in the auto expo, TCIF has also set up a health camp for the truckers, allied population and inner city cab drivers at the parking lot for the auto expo.
The health camp branded as Khushi Clinic is set up at the parking area of the Auto Expo to provide free medical check-up to the drivers. More than 300 drivers have availed the health services offered by the health camp during the first three days of the expo of which around 15-20 % of the drivers have been diagnosed with sexually transmitted Infections (STI). Those diagnosed with STI are further referred to an independent counselling session where the individual is counselled by a qualified counsellor on safe sexual practices, correct and consistent usage of condoms and the clinical services offered by Khushi Clinics at various transhipment locations alongside the highways. TCIF is sharing their expertise with the corporates to bring in a change to the trucker’s life by partnering in various forms.
Speaking on the initiative, Shekhar, Project Director, TCI Foundation said, “Truckers play an important role in keeping the wheels of the commerce spinning while generating prosperity to the industry. At the same time, these Truckers face a difficult life. There is job insecurity, rigorous working conditions and dangers around every bend. In addition they exist without any respect from the society. It is therefore not rare that many turn to alcohol, drugs and resort to unsafe commercial sex to seek relief out of their itinerant and monotonous life, which places them at risk for STIs and HIV/AIDS.”
On participating in the Auto Expo 2010, he further added, “This platform gives us the opportunity to take the Project Kavach initiative to the next level by involving corporates in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We want to make them aware of the problems faced by the truckers and their responsibility towards helping them in eradicating this deadly disease.”
The overall prevalence of HIV/AIDS among long-distance truckers has been reported to be 4.6% as against 0.36% among general population. There are about 5 million truckers in India, who travel across 3.3 million kilometres of India’s road network, out of which an estimated 2 million truckers travel on long distance routes with an average of 8000-10000 kms on an average in a month. The overall prevalence of HIV/AIDS among long-distance truckers has been reported to be 4.6% which is 12 times higher than the prevalence among men in general population.