Occupational Safety : Ministry Of Health Advocates Sick Bays In Organisations

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has advocated for at least a sick bay and trained First Aiders in all organisations to promote occupational safety and health and avert avoidable deaths.

The Director, Occupational Health & Safety Division, Department of Public Health, Dr. Helen Ikiebe made the call at a two-day harmonization and validation meeting of the five-year strategic plan of action for Occupational Health Safety services in Nigeria.

Dr. Ikiebe who said for Nigeria to achieve its goal of safeguarding all citizens and ensuring a safe and healthy environment for the workforce, necessary measures must be put in place to complement the document to enable the nation to have effective and healthy citizens which according to her would Fastrack national development.

“The Occupational Health and Safety strategic plan of action document provides a framework for the effective implementation and delivery of Occupational Health and Safety in Nigeria in alignment with the various WHO and ILO policies, visions, missions, conventions, treaties, and recommendations as well as National Acts and Laws which relates to Occupational Health and Safety at the National and Sub- National levels.”

“It spells out the vision, mission, goal, targets, priorities, and resource envelope of OHS in the health sector domain. It is developed following extensive consultation with stakeholders and aims to serve and address efficiency, capacity, and data gaps in the formal and informal sectors, of work-related health diseases, injuries, and accidents to improve the health, well-being, and productivity of all workers in Nigeria.”

She explained further, “For the Health and safety of workers, it is necessary to have at least an in-house clinic, so that if there are emergencies, workers can quickly be attended to, and in instances where they cannot afford an in-house clinic, they can have a retainer hospital that would not be far away from the work place so that when there is an emergency workers can quickly be rushed to retainer hospitals.”

“It is also very, very important for work places to have an ambulance to be able to convey these workers.”

“Also, it is advisable for work places to have First Aiders, these are people who are trained to be able to give First Aid during emergencies and we know that First Aid can save lives.”

Stakeholders at the meeting were drawn from relevant ministries to ensure a comprehensive and effective document that would address health and environmental hazards at the workplace.

Florence Adewale, Edited By Shakira Alabi