The conference was attended by Sergeyus Glovackas, ACTRAV Desk Officer for Europe and Central Asia (Geneva), Gocha Aleksandria, Senior Specialist for Workers’ Activities, ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Sobir Aminov, ILO National Coordinator in Tajikistan, Lejo Sibbel, Senior Specialist for International Labour Standards and Labour Law, ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Faizizoda Ismoil Nazri, Chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Tajikistan, Khakima Akhmedova, Chief Pulmonologist, Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Tajikistan, specialists of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Tajikistan, Nationwide Committee of Tajikistan’s Health Care and Social Protection Workers Union and its regional offices from Dushanbe, Khatlon, Sogd and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, and trade union leaders from across the country.

In his opening speech, Nurkhon Khaetzoda, Chairman of the Nationwide Committee of Tajikistan’s Health Care and Social Protection Workers Union, stressed that the pandemic has aggravated every problem of the existing health care model which trade unions are fighting to phase out. This involves ensuring safe employment and decent incomes; promoting occupational safety and health, social protection and support; creating efficient and accessible health care systems; respecting the core rights of workers and trade unions; promoting effective social dialogue; and observing international labour standards.

The conference participants observed a minute’s silence in memory of all their colleagues and other people who died from COVID-19.

In his presentation, Sergeyus Glovackas underlined that the issue of social protection of workers is becoming increasingly relevant in the pandemic context. A constructive social dialogue between the government and social partners is crucial for identifying effective responses, with the Nationwide Committee to play a major role.

Gocha Aleksandria said that the crisis brings about not only unemployment and underemployment but also affects wages and other terms of employment and accessibility of social protection, which is devastating for vulnerable population.

Lejo Sibbel discussed the importance to promote occupational safety, adjust working arrangements, ensure social justice and social guarantees in the period of the pandemic in line with ILO conventions and recommendations, in particular, ILO Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation (No. 205), Conventions No. 149 and No. 157 on the working and living conditions of nursing personnel, ILO Sectoral Brief “COVID-19 Crisis and Health Care”.

Faizizoda Ismoil Nazri and Khakima Akhmedova noted that the pandemic has primarily affected the frontline agencies and services, first of all, those of the national health care system as well as health workers at their workplaces. The speakers thanked the ILO for the assistance and support it has been providing to Tajikistan from the onset of the pandemic crisis.

It was noted that the Government of Tajikistan, Ministry of Health and Social Protection supported by international organizations are taking massive efforts to prevent the effects of the pandemic and ensure occupational safety of health workers in Tajikistan. All trade unions leaders across the country were also involved in the fight against the new coronavirus.

Rajab Ulmasov, advisor to the Chairman of the Nationwide Committee of Tajikistan’s Health Care and Social Protection Workers Union, reported the findings of a study entitled “The Effects of COVID-19 on Tajikistan’s Health Care and Health Workers. Pandemic Response, Social Dialogue and Policies to Promote Occupational Safety and Health of Tajikistan’s Health Workers at Work” conducted with support of the ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities. He also voiced the recommendations of the study which were unanimously supported by the conference participants with some minor amendments.