• Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association drivers and owners received free health screenings because many struggle to find time to visit clinics.
• TB Proof brought tuberculosis services to the taxi rank after noticing an increase in taxi drivers who visited the organisation with tuberculosis.
Taxi drivers spend much of their working lives on the road, leaving them with little time to visit clinics.
Now health services have come to them.
Drivers and owners from the Cape Organisation for the Democratic Taxi Association received free health checks at a taxi rank in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
They were screened for tuberculosis, HIV, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Association chairman Nceba Enge said it was important for drivers and owners to know their health status.
“We are happy that the Department of Health and Mobility came to our taxi rank because, as owners, especially our drivers, we spend a lot of time on the road and rarely get time to visit the clinic,” said Enge.
He said it was the first time the taxi rank had hosted such a health drive and he hoped it would happen again.
Enge was also pleased that community members who use taxis joined drivers and owners for screenings.
Taxi driver Masonwabe Mnqanqeni said the programme showed that the association cared about drivers’ health and not only the money they make for taxi owners.
“As drivers, we appreciate this, and we are happy that they also consider our health and are taking it seriously by bringing the services to us because they know we don’t have time to visit the clinics,” said Masonwabe.
He said learning that people can have tuberculosis without the usual symptoms worried him.
“You can look fine and not be coughing but still have TB, so it means we need to take this seriously,” he said.
Masonwabe took a tuberculosis test and will collect his results from the clinic without having to queue.
Taxi owner Mzuvukile Khedama said the screenings reminded owners and drivers to take responsibility for their health and follow up at clinics when necessary.
Busisiwe Beko from TB Proof said the organisation came to the taxi rank after noticing an increase in drivers visiting them with tuberculosis.
“We saw a need to come and provide the services here while raising awareness about the importance of checking their status,” said Beko.
She urged drivers to visit clinics before they become sick.
