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Controlling the spread of Hiv among long haulage workers in Nigeria
Retrovirology volume 9, Article number: P107 (2012)
Introduction
The study investigated the effect of the transport industry on the transmission and spread of HIV/AIDS. Transport workers are highly mobile and spend long intervals away from the comforts of their homes. They are often involved in risky sexual behaviours that make them vulnerable to HIV infection, and so constitute carriers in the spread of the pandemic.
Method
The study entailed interviewing more than 1,000 long haul drivers and workers with the objective of inducing frank talk to assess their sexual habits enroute their long hauls. The limitation of this study was their insistence on anonymity to avoid adverse effects on their social status and marriage stability.
Result
More than 80% of interviewees had more than 20 female friends stationed at the villages on highways across the country. 60% of the promiscuous group knew about condoms but never used them. To them, what was the use doing it if you could not have the real thing. Sadly, some of the interviewees stated they had no other pleasurable indulgences in life other than sex, and if they were to die doing the only thing they enjoyed then who is complaining.
Conclusion
The NURTW was advised:
Create rest stations along the nation’s highways, with lodging, canteen, games, TV/Video sets, and other recreational facilities for drivers and motor boys.
Provide GSM phone facilities for workers on long distance engagements to allow them keep in touch with their families.
Organize seminars to educate workers on the implications, prevalence and management of HIV/AIDS.
Provide medical test and care facilities at those rest stations for the quiet testing of workers for HIV/AIDS and dispensing of necessary drugs to sufferers.
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Benjamin, E., Igie, T.K. & Udoh, M. Controlling the spread of Hiv among long haulage workers in Nigeria. Retrovirology 9 (Suppl 1), P107 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4690-9-S1-P107
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4690-9-S1-P107
Keywords
- Infectious Disease
- Cancer Research
- Sexual Behaviour
- Social Status
- Care Facility