Female medical doctor dies from a cause faster than HIV

Annastasia Ekanem, a female medical doctor attached to a private hospital in Eket Akwa Ibom has been reported dead. Annastasia who only recently tested positive to HIV did not die from this disease but of a different cause. The medical doctor was found dead in her bedroom as she hung from the ceiling leaving behind a suicide note and the burden of her loss.

This story fails to tell us the last time she had her status checked and the result of this test. Health care profeesionals are particulary faced with this kind of problem as a hazard of the job. While no one is concluding that this is the cause, the propability is high up there and cannot be completely erased.

I can hear you say she could have protected herself. Before you continue any further in your thoughts do you know the hazards of your job, what compensations you are entitled to should you become exposed and what to do to live an optimal life.

R.I.P

DISEASES FOR WHICH WORKERS RECEIVE COMPENSATIONS IN NIGERIA

Employers are expected to protect their staff ensuring that exposure to any physical agent in the workplace should be kept as low as reasonably practicable. Only recently, Federal Republic of Nigeria (2010) produced a document that provides the list of top occupational diseases caused by physical agents to include:

·         Hearing impairment caused by noise

·         Disease caused by vibration (disorders of muscles, tendons, bones, joints, peripheral blood vessels or peripheral nerves)

·         Diseases caused by work in compressed air

·         Diseases caused by ionizing radiation

·         Diseases caused by heat radiation

·         Diseases caused by ultraviolet radiation

·         Diseases due to extreme temperature

·         Diseases caused to any other physical agents not mentioned where a direct a link between exposure of a worker to these physical agents and the disease suffered is established.

Please reference the “Employee’s Compensation Act 2010, Act NO.13” Federal Republic of Nigeria (2010) Abuja, Nigeria.

The Employee compensation Act is only a review of previously existing Act. The intent of this Act is clearly to ensure that the health of Nigeria’s workforce is not put on the line because of hazards in the workplace which are predominately preventable. However, many Nigerians are still significantly exposed to these hazards. How effective has this document and others been in reducing disease burden encountered as a result of our own work environment?

ARE OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES RECOGNIZED IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Surprised, yes occupational health issues are recognized in Nigeria. Its interesting to know that issues identified in our own country Nigeria are quite similar to those of developed countries.  Recently, in 2010 Employees compensation Act  lists diseases caused by chemical agents in the workplace as follows:

Diseases caused by beryllium or its toxic compounds

Diseases caused by cadmium or its toxic compounds

Diseases caused by phosphorus or toxic its compounds

Diseases caused by chromium or toxic its compounds

Diseases caused by arsenic or its toxic compounds

Diseases caused by mercury or its toxic compounds

Diseases caused by lead or its toxic compounds

Diseases caused by fluorine or its toxic compounds

Diseases caused by carbon disulphide

Diseases caused by toxic halogen derivatives of aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons

Diseases caused by benzene or its toxic homologues

Diseases caused by toxic nitro-amino derivatives of benzene and its homologues.

Diseases caused by alcohols, glycols or ketones

Diseases caused by asphyxiants: carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide or its toxic derivatives, hydrogen sulphide.

Diseases caused by acrylonitrile

Diseases caused by oxides of nitrogen

Diseases caused by vanadium or its toxic compounds

Diseases caused by hexane

Diseases caused of teeth due to mineral acids

Diseases due to pharmaceutical agents

Diseases due to thalium  or   its compounds

Diseases due to oxmium or   its compounds

Diseases due to selenium or   its compounds

Diseases due to copper or   its compounds

Diseases due to tin or   its compounds

Diseases due to zinc or   its compounds

Diseases due to ozone, phosgene

Diseases due to copper or   its compounds

Diseases due to copper or   its compounds

Diseases due to irritants: benzoquinone and other corneal irritants

Diseases caused by chemical agent with an established link between exposure and disease.

Please reference the “Employee’s Compensation Act 2010, Act NO.13” Federal Republic of Nigeria printers. Abuja; Nigeria

HSE SYSTEMS MERGE WITH OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

I have been asked to provide answers to certain questions which have repeatedly been asked by employees and employers through this blog. 

How can companies make the most use of HSE systems in optimizing the health of workers? 

Health surveillance is an occupational health tool for monitoring changes in a worker’s health overtime occurring directly as a result of workplace elements. What’s important is that health surveillance needs not be conducted in all organizations on the contrary it fails to achieve when duplicated across board. There are certain requirements to be met before adopting this tool. Health surveillance merges HSE systems with occupational health as companies are able to detect what part of their health and safety systems are failing which in turn produces an action plan to boast services. It therefore serves a brilliant audit tool for HSE systems in organizations. This tool is beneficial for the following reasons.

·         Health surveillance is a very good way of demonstrating to workers the commitment of management towards the health of their workers.

·         One key thing for companies to bear in mind is if you must check then you must act to put preventive measures in place.