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23/05/2007
The World Health Organisation (WHO) adopted on May 22 a 10 year plan of action for ‘Workers Health’ that has been promoted by a coalition which brought trade unions together with international occupational and public health organizations.
The breakthrough came this afternoon at the international World Health Assembly when WHO member States voted for a resolution that calls on them to devise national implementation plans “in collaboration with workers, employers and their organizations”, and to “strengthen collaboration with the ILO to stimulate joint regional and country efforts on workers’ health.”
The General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) responded by indicating his support to work with the WHO in promoting the health and well being of workers world-wide. “I believe the time is right for strengthening the WHO’s actions on occupational health, and linking them to public health and environmental protection”, he said.
In an earlier statement, Barbara Hatcher, Secretary General of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA), informed the WHO Assembly that, “During this past year, we have joined the ITUC and the International Commission of Occupational Health (ICOH) to support the action plan for workers’ health.”
The three organizations came together in the lead-up to 28 April 2007 International Commemoration Day (ICD) for Dead and Injured Workers to lobby Health Ministers to support the Plan which includes provisions to combat occupational cancers, engage in a campaign for the elimination of asbestos-related diseases, and to strengthen enforcement measures. It also calls for the involvement of workers, trade unions, health professionals and others in implementation, with a focus on the needs of health workers involved in the provision of services, and on the need to provide access to services to working people all around the world.
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