The Wellness Centres generally employ two local staff: a peer counsellor to run information, education and counselling (IEC) activities, and a medical practitioner to offer medical services.
The IEC counsellor is trained by North Star and supplied with supporting material developed.Examples of topics covered by the supporting material include:
- Condom usage – male and female;
- Healthy living education (nutritional information);
- STI identification and prevention methods;
- HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention;
- Tuberculosis awareness and prevention;
- Preparing families and living with HIV;
- Healthy gender relations education;
- Human trafficking awareness.
The medical practitioner is recruited with help from the national health authorities and must be officially qualified to offer primary healthcare, treatment for STI’s and VCT. Examples of common forms of treatment at North Star centres include:
- Syphilis;
- Gonorreah;
- Influenza;
- Backaches;
- Cuts, abrasions and burns;
- Eye infections.
The centres take into account and, where possible, include area and target-group specific health requirements in the centres’ treatment programmes, as well as other local healthcare initiatives and facilities. For example, if Malaria is a serious problem affecting truckers at one site then North Star will attempt to include prevention, testing and treatment programmes in cooperation with other local health care facilities.
North Star sources and supply medication for the Wellness Centres in consultation with local health authorities and according to national guidelines.
IEC counsellors and medical practitioners are required to complete an annual North Star-run refreshment course in order to refresh their skills and keep up to date with the latest developments in their professions.
