Engen Driver Wellness, the mobile health awareness initiative, continues to make a tangible difference to the lives of the country’s bulk truck operators with increased driver participation in voluntary screenings and improved health scores.

Now in its fifth year, Engen Driver Wellness is an annual initiative aimed at educating long distance truck drivers about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle whilst on the road. Over the next three months the campaign will visit 20 Engen sites across five provinces of South Africa. 

Trucking Wellness, a primary healthcare delivery programme dedicated to the wellness of employees in the Road Freight and Logistics Industry, run the Engen Driver Wellness programme. It is funded and driven by the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics industry. Engen provided approximately R1.2 million in support of Trucking Wellness in 2014.

“We are privileged to be involved with the Driver Wellness programme for the fifth year running and to make use of the expertise of Trucking Wellness,” says Engen’s General Manager: Corporate Affairs, Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray.

The Engen Driver Wellness Programme relies on Trucking Wellness for its primary healthcare testing and treatment capability, while Engen provides the facility and an appealing testing environment. 

“The programme continues to have a massive all-round impact both on the drivers and their families,  who benefit from reduced exposure to diseases and greater longevity of a breadwinner; and of course on the company, in terms of improved worker productivity, skills retention and disease management,” says Engen Group CSI and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Mntu Nduvane.

Truck operators work long hours in gruelling jobs, frequently leading to imbalanced lifestyles and unhealthy choices. Nduvane says the main aim of Engen Driver Wellness is to improve health through awareness. “Education helps to remind the drivers why their health is important and how life choices impact on their well-being. Ultimately this increases their health, safety and productivity.”

Trucking Wellness Programme activity
Screenings range from a simple (but valuable) assessment for chronic illnesses to a complete screening for body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and HIV infection. This can take place at Trucking Wellness’ conveniently situated venues, or at mobile clinics sponsored by Engen, to broaden the reach.

Trucking Wellness Statistics related to the Engen Driver Wellness Programme
Year-on-year uptake has increased. A total of 7,181 unique screenings were conducted in 2014, compared to 4,815 in 2013 – a 49.1% increase. The total number of individuals screened has also increased by 445 (50.9%) since 2013, as did all individual categories of screening. Screenings for Cholesterol increased by 186 (43%), glucose by 433 (51%), BMI by 447 (51%), blood pressure by 444 (51%), HIV by 283 (47%), TB by 289 (48%) and sexually transmitted infections by 284 (47%).

Nduvane says the programme and partnership with Trucking Wellness has been lauded by various dignitaries, including MECs in various provinces, local government and departments of health where the programme has been active. 

“It’s amazing to see the increase in the use of the services, and it is clear that this intervention is making a difference to the driver’s well-being. However, there is still a major task ahead to reduce the impact of treatable conditions within the industry.”

Sulaiman-Bray says Engen is humbled to play its part in ensuring individuals, industry and the economy of South Africa all benefit in some small way.  “As Engen we are pleased to continue to play a role in helping drivers to manage their wellness better. By encouraging healthy lifestyle changes in professional drivers, an initiative such as Engen Driver Wellness is supporting road safety whilst enhancing the personal wellbeing of the drivers, many of whom are the primary breadwinner in their households.”

For more information please contact Gavin Smith, Engen Group Communication Manager,
Gavin.Smith@engenoil.com   Tel: +27 21 403 4312   Cell: +27 82 379 1700