Preventing lung occupational diseases in Indonesia
Occupational deaths and injuries and work-related diseases take a particularly heavy toll in developing countries, including Indonesia.
9 November 2015
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JAKARTA (ILO News): Occupational deaths and injuries and work-related diseases take a particularly heavy toll in developing countries, including Indonesia. Large number of workers are concentrated in the primary and extractive activities such as agriculture, construction, mining or where working relationships or conditions create particular risks, such as exposure to hazardous agents, such as chemical substances or radiation, or in the informal economy.
Therefore, to strengthen preventive measures against pneumoconiosis, the Ministry of Health of Indonesia and Indonesian Occupational Health Doctor Association (PERDOKI), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) will conduct an ILO Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconiosis Workshop from 9 to 13 November in Jakarta. The Workshop is conducted in conjunction with the National Health Day which falls on 12 November.
The workshop is targeted to pulmonologists (doctors who specialize in lung diseases) as part of the effort to improve their skills in giving proper diagnosis and treatment to pneumoconiosis. The workshop will also use the ILO International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconiosis as a worldwide-used tool to improve workers’ health surveillance, conduct epidemiological research and make comparisons of statistical data.
Francesco d’Ovidio, Country Director of the ILO in Indonesia, emphasizes that prevention of occupational respiratory diseases has a special focus in the ILO as these diseases continue to be among the leading occupational illnesses. “There can be no decent work without safe work; thus, occupational safety and health should not be viewed as social cost but as a long-term benefit for enterprises, societies and their people,” he stated.
The ILO adopted the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention No. 187 in 2006. This Convention has been recently ratified by Indonesia in August 2015. In addition, the joint ILO/WHO Global Programme for the Elimination of Silicosis (GPES) was established in 1995 to strengthen prevention of pneumoconiosis and eliminate silicosis as an occupational illness through the implementation of national action programmes. To date, such programs have been established in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, China, India, Peru, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam, and preventive measures have intensified many others.
According the ILO estimates, there are 2.2 million work-related deaths annually, 350.000 fatal and 270 million non-fatal work accidents. Every year, 160 million workers develop occupational diseases; 30-40 per cent of them can be expected to lead to chronic illnesses and 10 per cent to permanent disability.
ILO’s Media Relation Officer
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One of the most common occupational diseases found in the workplace is pneumoconiosis. The most common form of the diseases is called silicosis. It is a lung disease caused by inhalation of dust contains free crystalline silica, afflicting tens of millions workers in hazardous occupations and kills thousands of people everywhere in the world. This makes silicosis one of the most important occupational illnesses in the world.There can be no decent work without safe work; thus, occupational safety and health should not be viewed as social cost but as a long-term benefit for enterprises, societies and their people."
Francesco d’Ovidio, Country Director of the ILO in Indonesia
Therefore, to strengthen preventive measures against pneumoconiosis, the Ministry of Health of Indonesia and Indonesian Occupational Health Doctor Association (PERDOKI), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) will conduct an ILO Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconiosis Workshop from 9 to 13 November in Jakarta. The Workshop is conducted in conjunction with the National Health Day which falls on 12 November.
The workshop is targeted to pulmonologists (doctors who specialize in lung diseases) as part of the effort to improve their skills in giving proper diagnosis and treatment to pneumoconiosis. The workshop will also use the ILO International Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconiosis as a worldwide-used tool to improve workers’ health surveillance, conduct epidemiological research and make comparisons of statistical data.
Francesco d’Ovidio, Country Director of the ILO in Indonesia, emphasizes that prevention of occupational respiratory diseases has a special focus in the ILO as these diseases continue to be among the leading occupational illnesses. “There can be no decent work without safe work; thus, occupational safety and health should not be viewed as social cost but as a long-term benefit for enterprises, societies and their people,” he stated.
The ILO adopted the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention No. 187 in 2006. This Convention has been recently ratified by Indonesia in August 2015. In addition, the joint ILO/WHO Global Programme for the Elimination of Silicosis (GPES) was established in 1995 to strengthen prevention of pneumoconiosis and eliminate silicosis as an occupational illness through the implementation of national action programmes. To date, such programs have been established in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, China, India, Peru, South Africa, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam, and preventive measures have intensified many others.
According the ILO estimates, there are 2.2 million work-related deaths annually, 350.000 fatal and 270 million non-fatal work accidents. Every year, 160 million workers develop occupational diseases; 30-40 per cent of them can be expected to lead to chronic illnesses and 10 per cent to permanent disability.
For further information please contact:
Gita LinggaILO’s Media Relation Officer
Telp. (021) 39139112 ext.115