Findings of international studies of theHIV/AIDS pandemic at work places suggest that, the transportsector is a major vector for the disease. The reason issimple. People working in the transport sector are mobile,they spend weeks and months away from their families andtheir homes and many satisfy their sexual needs "on theroad." Migration, short-term or long-term, increasesopportunities for sexual relationships with multiplepartners, transforming transport routes to critical links inthe propagation of HIV/AIDS. International studies alsosuggest that long-haul truck drivers are the highest riskgroup in the road sector. Clearly, social capital is atrisk.In Africa, studies assessing the relationship betweentransport and HIV/AIDS are still partial and embryonic. Yet,situational analyses undertaken to date suggest thatHIV/AIDS has become a major threat to the social capital ofthe transport sector and to transport operations, but fewactions are taken to address the insurgence of the pandemic.Nonetheless, investing adequately in combating HIV/AIDS inAfrica is now a precondition for all other developmentinvestments to succeed. The transport sector faces fourmajor challenges: 1) Reduction of social capital 2) Poorsafeguard policies addressing HIV/AIDS at work places 3)Absence of standard HIV/AIDS clauses in works contracts 4)Limited sector analytical work on HIV/AIDS. These challengescan be addressed. Committed leadership, continuous dialoguewith clients, and strategic partnerships could make a difference.
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