Regional consultation to update the regional strategy on occupational health 7-9 July 2010, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Message from Dr Samlee Plianbangchang Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia At the Regional Consultation to Update the Regional Strategy on Occupational Health 7-9 July 2010, Colombo, Sri Lanka (DELIVERED BY DR A. SATTAR YOOSUF, ASSISTANT REGIONAL DIRECTOR, WHO SOUTH-EAST ASIA REGION) 1 Regional Consultation to Update the Regional Strategy on Occupational Health 7-9 July 2010, Colombo, Sri Lanka Message from: Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia (DEL IVERED BY DR A. SATTAR YOOSUF, ASSISTANT REGIONAL DIRECTOR, WHO SOUTH -EAST ASIA REGION) ------------- Workers represent half the world’s population and are the major contributors to economic and social development. Their health is determined not only by workplace hazards but also by social and individual factors and access to health services. Occupational hazards cause or contribute to the premature death of millions of people worldwide and result in the ill health and disablement of hundreds of millions more each year. The occupational health burden of South-East Asia Region remains largely uncharacterized due to lack of data and information, but is expected to be generally more significant than the global average. Workers in this Region are exposed to a wide range of occupational hazards and risks including chemical, physical and biological hazards. Most countries of this Region are going through rapid unchecked economic development, potentially amplifying pre-existing hazards while also introducing new occupational risks. There are also a large number of informal sector workers who are not covered by policies and legislation. 2 Despite the availability of effective interventions to prevent occupational hazards and to protect and promote health at the workplace, large gaps exist between and within countries with regard to the health status of workers and their exposure to occupational risks. In the South-East Asia Region, it is estimated that only 5-10 percent of workers have access to occupational health services in spite of the evident need in virtually all workplaces. Occupational health and the well-being of working people are crucial prerequisites for productivity and are of utmost importance for sustainable development. Attaining the goal of “Occupational Health for All” will require a strategy that is based on international instruments adopted by the General Conference of the International Labour Organization. The strategy should recognize that health of workers is determined not only by occupational hazards but also by social and individual factors and access to health services. It is almost seven years since the first South-East Asia Region Strategy on Occupational Health and safety was developed. Since then, the Global Plan of Action for Workers’ Health 2008-2017 has been endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2007. The time is therefore right to review and update the regional strategy. This consultation has been convened to review the current status of occupational health programme implementation in Member States; to identify the challenges and gaps in programme implementation; and to identify key strategies and activities that will enhance worker’s health. 3 I would urge the contributors to this consultation to consider three important issues. The first is information. Almost all the countries of the Region have reported that the level of registration of occupational diseases and accidents is low. Due to the lack of information very few countries have developed a national occupational health profile. Systems for surveillance of workers’ health should be designed with the objective of accurately identifying and controlling occupational hazards. This should include establishing national information systems, building capacity to estimate the burden of diseases and injuries, and improving reporting and early detection. The second issue is developing and implementing policies and legislation. Almost half of the countries of the Region have a policy framework on workers’ health, but not all of them are evidence-based or backed by legislation, nor do they define the roles of the different sectors. Strategies are needed to devise and implement policy instruments that take into account the relevant international labour conventions. Workers’ health is determined by a number of sectors, not just the health sector; hence the strategy should consider intersectoral coordination and collaboration, as well as opportunities to work with ILO. Workers’ health should be incorporated into other sectors’ policies. The third and most important issue is to develop workers’ health in the context of primary health care and health systems. Coverage and quality of occupational health services should be improved by integrating their development into national health strategies. Basic occupational health services should be provided for all workers, including those in the informal economy, small enterprises and agriculture. 4 This consultation is timely and of great relevance to the Member States of the Region. Each country can provide issues of relevance to them, which should be included in the regional strategy. Member States are urged to identify the regional strategies to be adopted to achieve the objectives of the Workers’ Health Global Plan of Action.