Talking to The Peninsula yesterday on the sidelines of the International Conference on Primary Health Care, Dr Ahmad K S Al Shatti, director of the Occupational Health Department at the Ministry of Health in Kuwait said that the GCC states need to initiate action to protect this segment of the workforce from occupational health hazards.
"There is an unseen section of workers in the GCC countries who are not being covered by their health care delivery system. They include people employed in the small and medium enterprises, housemaids and other domestic workers and the large number of self-employed people. They form about 40 to 60 percent of the total workforce in the region," said Al Shatti.
He added that these workers do not enjoy the benefits of the health and safety regulations that apply to companies and establishments in the government and private sectors. They have not been protected from the accidents and diseases related with the workplace.
Asked how this issue can be addressed, Al Shatti said, "The first step is to understand the problem. Governments should think about ways, including legislation, to integrate these workers into their health care delivery system."
He said the foreign work force in any country is a disadvantaged group with a peculiar nature and living in unique circumstances. They are also a risk factor as far as public health is concerned and pose a challenge to the health authorities.
He said, Kuwait had gone a long way in protecting the rights of its foreign work force. " The number of foreign workers in the GCC countries are expected to grow further in the next few years, as these countries are passing through a fast phase of development. I believe the condition of workers will also improve in the years to come, with an increased awareness about human rights in the region," he said.
Al Shatti yesterday gave a presentation on occupational health and the GCC Healthy Workplace initiatives. Citing an International Labour Organisation (ILO) study, he said about 2.2 million people die every year from occupational accidents and diseases. 270 million workers suffer from fatal injuries while 160 million workers suffer from short or long term illnesses from work-related causes.
He said the Gulf Occupational Health Safety Committee has adopted strategic plans for promoting health and work place safety of the workers.
The committee in its meeting in Kuwait in last April adopted an action plan for the years 2008-2012 in line with the WHO Global Strategy on Occupational Health. The plan includes formation or reactivation of national Occupational Health committees, establishment of occupational surveillance system, among others.
Saudi Arabia will continue supporting ISESCO efforts
Khaleej Times: Saudi Arabia will continue to support and bolster the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO), according to Prince Turki bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, head of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) in the kingdom.
Addressing the conference being held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Prince Turki said the Islamic developing world, amid the enormous global changes and industrial and technical expansion in various environment-related fields, differs in nothing from other parts of the world especially as far as the environmental issues are concerned.
He said the outcome of this conference will help advance the achievements that have been made and give fresh impetus to cooperative action between the member states and ISESCO, on top of which are renewable energy and water resources with which several of the countries are concerned.
