Analysts believe that better highway
facilities could reduce incidence of
AIDS among high-risk truck drivers and
helpers and that would consequently
bring down the number of incidence in
non-risky population such as the wives
and children of this mobile group. By
providing better facilities such as
better roads, hygienic food, and other
amenities, they feel that drivers and
helpers will spend less time in shady
joints that promote prostitution.
The National Highway Authority of
India (NHAI) and National AIDS Control
Organization (NACO) are working with
select Non-Government Organizations
(NGOs) to create intervention programs
to arrest the spread of the diseases
in
Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, and
Tamil Nadu. The programs include
awareness campaigns, targeting risky
eateries (known as dhabhas), providing
behavior change communication through
props, condom promotion, social
marketing, distribution of free
condoms, and referral to Sexually
Transmitted Diseases (STD) clinics and
hospitals nearby.
Studies have shown that this
5-million-group is risky because of
low literacy levels, awareness of the
problem, and being away from families
for extended periods of time.
