Mobile Populations

In an ideal world, national governments would be able to provide good health care services for their citizens. But our world is not ideal.

In the African regions that we serve, resources are severely constrained. The national health systems are depleted and different priorities compete with each other for funding. As a result, certain harder-to-reach populations fall through the cracks.

Separation from regular partners and established social norms combined with a lack of access to prevention and care services makes highly mobile groups particularly vulnerable to contracting communicable diseases. Mobile populations also play an important role as vectors in the spread of these diseases.

Long distance truck drivers often struggle for access to health services. Their constant movement makes it difficult to provide continuity of care and treatment, even for basic health problems. Simple barriers such as inadequate parking, lack of security and no evening hours can prevent a truck driver from getting health care.

While somewomen engaged in sex work are mobile many are part of the community. Sex workers are frequently stigmatised. They often suffer from abuse and violence, which hamper their access to health care. Sex workers are especially vulnerable to infectious diseases such as sexually transmitted infections and HIV.

North Star Roadside Wellness Centres located at borders and truck stops make good public health sense and reinforce national health systems.