Fifty-fourth session Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, 30 August–3 September 2004
AFR/RC54/R4 2 September 2004 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE AFRICAN REGION: SITUATION ANALYSIS AND PERSPECTIVES (document AFR/RC54/13 Rev.1) The Regional Committee, Noting with concern the critical situation of occupational health and safety in most countries of the African Region; Expressing concern that occupational health and safety services are either weak or non-existent and do not cover the large majority of workers and especially those in the informal sector; Recalling World Health Assembly resolutions WHA32.14 and WHA33.31 that respectively advocated for the development of occupational health and safety, and its integration into primary health care services to cover the underserved populations, such as those in the informal sector, in agricultural settings and in small-scale businesses; Conscious that there is lack of data and information on the type and magnitude of the health problems of workers in most countries; Aware of the negative impact of communicable and noncommunicable diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS and malaria and of injuries, including those from road traffic and at workplaces; Recognizing the efforts made by WHO to mobilize other partners to work together to ensure that countries achieve various international, regional and national goals; Concerned that occupational health and safety is a growing need in relation to the growing prospect of economic recovery in the context of NEPAD; 1. APPROVES the document entitled “Occupational health and safety in the African Region: Situation analysis and perspectives” (AFR/RC54/13 Rev.1); 2. URGES Member States: (a) (b) to integrate occupational health and safety into health policies and national health care strategies, and coordinate them within other sectors; to develop and implement policies and legislation that promote healthy and safe workplaces in both the formal and informal sectors;
AFR/RC54/R4 Page 2 (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) to generate evidence and information for policy decisions and implementation; to create an enabling environment where employers increase the provision of resources for occupational health and safety at the workplace; to pursue the promotion of healthy and safe workplaces by restricting the use of tobacco and other harmful substances; to develop and strengthen occupational health and safety institutions to ensure sustained management, capacity building and research; to strengthen intersectoral collaboration and coordination between stakeholders, with the health sector taking the leading role;
3.
REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) to provide technical support for the development and strengthening of occupational health and safety policies, legislation and programmes; to sustain dialogue with ILO and call for the collaboration and participation of other international agencies such as UNEP and UNIDO to provide technical support to countries; to promote and support research and surveillance to inform national policies and implementation plans; to support resource mobilization and development of partnerships to address occupational health and safety; to report to the fifty-sixth session of the Regional Committee and, every two years thereafter, on progress made in occupational health and safety.