Total organises HIV/AIDS awareness campaign for drivers

AS employees, who often engage in moving around the country, Total Upstream Companies has organised Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS awareness campaign for its truck drivers to stem transmission.The oil giant, in a statement said the objective is to help Nigeria check the HIV/AIDS pandemic.The theme of the campaign was: 'Think health and safety first'Oga driver,' was carried out at the headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), in Abuja.During the campaign, participants also benefited from free eye tests, weight checks, blood pressure checks, blood and HIV/Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) tests.Though targeted at truck drivers, their spouses and possible sex partners, the campaign, could through the NURTW, reach as many as 2.5 million people, according to the Deputy Corps Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Uche Wihioka.Commenting on the programme, the General Manager (Corporate Social Responsibility), Dr. Justus Pearse, said, 'for us at Total, we regard HIV as a chronic communicable disease and hence, stigmatisation is not allowed. We would like to encourage you all here to embark on voluntary testing and pre/post counseling in the spirit of this flag-off and the entire campaign.'In his message, the President of NURTW, Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, who was represented by the Deputy General Secretary, Chief John Olaoye, described the commitment of the union to the campaign as a testimony that beyond co-ordinating and controlling motor parks, the union also gives premium to the safety and health of her members and society at large.
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