Our Work.
What We Do
Cross-border health is our business.
Our “Blue Box” approach to healthcare breaks down the social barriers of traditional health clinics, providing key populations with primary healthcare services from Roadside Wellness Centres or Blue Boxes. Located at ‘hotspots’ like border posts, transit towns or ports where large numbers of trucks stop, load and offload, and where sex work and informal trades flourish, our Blue Boxes are open at flexible hours, tailored to the hours of our core target populations.
Truck driver
programmes
From North Star Alliance’s inception, we have worked closely with the truck driver community and developed an in-depth understanding of their lifestyle and needs. The Blue Box clinics offer comprehensive healthcare services to these populations. We optimise the location and operating hours of our clinics. Our electronic health system ensures that our truck drivers can continue their treatment at any of our Blue Box clinics along their routes.
HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care Programmes
Following the UNAIDS 95/95/95 global targets for HIV treatment scale-up, North Star has focused on truck drivers and the communities with whom they interact by providing HIV prevention and treatment services. These services are provided inside the Roadside Wellness Centres and during outreach activities at selected hotspots.
TB Prevention, and Treatment Services
North Star identifies, screens, and treats Tuberculosis cases; refers patients for laboratory tests; monitors treatment adherence; provides access to high-quality medication and supports patients throughout the treatment process. North Star provides information and education on the disease to address stigma, poor risk perception and other misconceptions about TB.
Revenue Generation Projects
To ensure sustainable operations and a healthy transport corridor, North Star seeks to optimise its funding base by accelerating resource mobilisation for revenue-generating projects, expanding its social enterprise model, and forming strategic partnerships with the private sector to tap into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding to support the development of new products and revenue-generating projects.
Key Populations Economic Empowerment and Independence
To ensure sustainable operations and a healthy transport corridor, North Star seeks to optimise its funding base by accelerating resource mobilisation for revenue-generating projects, expanding its social enterprise model, and forming strategic partnerships with the private sector to tap into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding to support the development of new products and revenue-generating projects.
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention
Key populations can be vulnerable to various interlinked health and social issues, including Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). The interaction of at-risk behaviours, mental health, and general health issues can put key populations at an increased risk of contracting HIV/STIs, which the impact of GBV can amplify. North Star uses the Crisis Response Teams (CRT) model, a multi-sectoral approach; bringing stakeholders at the local level to respond to SGBV against Female Sex Workers (FSWs).
Road Safety Tips and Education
In addition to providing health services to truck drivers, North Star’s clinics also provide education and basic road safety tips. North Star organises annual road safety events to educate truck drivers on road safety. The outdoor event brings together between 300 and 450 truckers who receive HIV testing, medical examinations, and guidance on road safety.
Medical
Checkups
North Star Blue Box clinics also provide medical checkups outside the Blue Boxes to examine medical conditions that could be detrimental to truck drivers.