Government acts on HIV/Aids scourge

Cellphone connectivity benefits transport industry
KEVIN MAYHEW
ONE OF the key elements for the success of any growth initiatives in Zambia will be tackling the HIV/Aids issue, for its debilitating effect on civil life, productivity and the transport sector which has seen its driver ranks decimated. At least some in the world have seen its danger up in lights – earlier this year American A-league actor, Matt Damon, visited Zambia to highlight the problem. Now the government of Zambia appears also to be getting in on the act. Its Ministry of Communications and Transport recently sent out an all-encompassing assessment of interventions and recommendations to interested parties to check its spread. Included in its list of recipients for input was the road haulage body, Fedhaul. The study was made possible by a grant from the World Bank. A further ally for the transport sector has been the explosion of cellphone connectivity. During my time in Zambia, there was good cellphone reception for calls in and out everywhere I went – there does of course remain the perennial problem of retrieving messages when on roaming. Chairperson of the Federation of Roadhauliers (Fedhaul) said the direct and immediate contact with drivers by using cellphones was a significant factor when trying to determine routes and delays. “At least if a driver is held up or has a problem he can now immediately communicate with us and we can find solutions. This is particularly important with any border delays or snarl-ups when delivering within Zambia,” he said. Within Zambia MTN and Celtel are locked in a battle for market share as the scramble for telecommunications dominance in Africa continues. Along with this are major announcements of retail outlets to service the cellphone market.