Members of the Road Safety Advocacy Coalition Uganda (ROSACU) have joined forces to address the growing risk of HIV transmission along Uganda’s busy transport corridors, integrating road safety advocacy with public health action.
In recent months, coalition members have intensified awareness campaigns highlighting the reality that road crash emergencies can expose victims, Good Samaritans, and first responders to HIV risks. In chaotic crash scenes, contact with fresh blood and unsafe first-aid practices can increase the risk of infection if proper precautions are not taken.
Strengthening Trauma Care and Prevention
Vision for Trauma Care Africa (VTC Africa) has been at the forefront of educating communities on safe emergency response practices. Dr. Hannington Muwaga, Team Leader at VTC Africa, emphasizes that in the confusion following a crash, knowledge of safety and prevention measures can save lives, not only from physical injuries but also from infections such as HIV. The organization continues to guide crash victims, first responders, and community members on how to protect themselves during emergencies.
ROSA Club
Protecting Paramedics and Crash Victims
Road Safety Club Uganda (ROSA Club) has strengthened paramedic safety protocols to prevent HIV transmission at crash scenes. According to Executive Director Sam Thompson Mwesigwa, the organization ensures that:
- Ambulances are thoroughly sanitized before and after every response.
- All responders wear protective gloves to avoid direct contact with blood or bodily fluids.
- Casualties are quickly separated and stabilized to prevent cross-contamination.
- Immediate first aid, including proper wound cleaning and bandaging, is administered by trained personnel.
ROSA Club works closely with Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and other government institutions to provide post-emergency services across Western and Central Uganda.
Mr. Mwesigwa is calling on policymakers, law enforcement, medical practitioners, and transport stakeholders to strengthen bylaws ensuring that ambulances are fully equipped with first-aid kits and protective tools, improve police response at crash scenes, and intensify public education on HIV risks during emergencies.
UPDN: Reaching Truck Drivers with HIV Services
Uganda Professional Drivers’ Network (UPDN) is leading HIV prevention and treatment initiatives targeting truck drivers and other mobile populations. Working alongside the Uganda AIDS Commission, Trucker’s Wellness Centre, and Kawaala Health Center IV in Kampala, UPDN is expanding access to testing, counseling, and preventive care along transport corridors.
On 13 February, UPDN conducted an outreach drive in Natete, offering free HIV testing and counseling, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and free male and female condoms donated by the Uganda People’s Defence Force.
According to UPDN Executive Director, Mongo Ndugu, the goal is to ensure that every driver has access to preventive healthcare to remain healthy on the road and protect their families. The Trucker’s Wellness Centre now serves an average of 2,687 clients monthly, with over 2,000 on PrEP and 400 on ART, distributing more than 21,000 condoms and enrolling new clients each month.
Despite progress, challenges such as declining donor funding, substance use among drivers, and high-risk social environments around transport hubs remain significant.
ReDU Expands HIV Services in Northern Uganda
In Northern Uganda, Responsive Drivers Uganda (ReDU) has partnered with MARPI Clinic in Gulu under the Most At Risk Populations Initiative to support HIV prevention and care along key northern routes. Working closely with Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, ReDU links truck drivers, boda riders, and traders to HIV testing, counseling, and treatment services.
ReDU Executive Director Joseph Komakech Ojambo is urging government to expand MARPI clinics to high-traffic border points such as Elegu at the Uganda–South Sudan border, increase funding for corridor-based outreach, and strengthen the integration of road safety and public health programs.
Looking ahead, ReDU plans to intensify joint outreach programs, integrate road safety and HIV awareness campaigns, train peer educators within driver associations, and advocate for wellness centres at major transport hubs.
A Unified Response for Healthier Roads
By uniting road safety advocacy with HIV prevention efforts, ROSACU members are demonstrating that safer roads go beyond preventing crashes, they also mean protecting the health and wellbeing of those who use them.
As stakeholders work together across Uganda’s transport corridors, the coalition’s message is clear: protecting lives on the road includes preventing injuries, reducing infections, and ensuring that every road user has access to lifesaving information and services.