Many companies stimp on health: Physicians<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Many companies are still reluctant to take into account the
\nhealth of their workers despite the increasing number of
\nemployees contracting illnesses related to their workplaces,
\nphysicians have said.<\/p>\n
"Companies still consider pre-hire and regular medical
\nexaminations for their employees to be a cost burden instead of
\nan investment," said Astrid Sulistomo, an expert on occupational
\nmedicine from Jakarta's University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
She was speaking at a one-day seminar on hospitals, health and
\nsafety at workplaces in Jakarta over the weekend in conjunction
\nwith the 38th anniversary of the privately-run Persahabatan
\nHospital.<\/p>\n
Astrid said a pre-hire general check-up was important to find
\nout whether prospective workers were healthy enough to do their
\njobs or not.<\/p>\n
But she added that it was not designed to specifically examine
\nthe condition of workers' internal organs that might be affected
\nby work-related diseases.<\/p>\n
She cited the example of employees at an asbestos factory, who
\nneeded to have their respiratory function checked before or after
\ntaking up the job, so they would be able to hold the company to
\naccount if they displayed any symptoms of respiratory
\ndysfunction.<\/p>\n
Astrid said the weak supervision by the occupational health
\nand safety directorate at the Ministry of Manpower and
\nTransmigration had contributed to companies' poor level of
\ncommitment to maintaining their workers' health and safety.<\/p>\n
"When a third of the employees at one company complained about
\nsimilar health problems, there should have been a site
\nexamination by physicians or at least access to information about
\nwhere they worked or the condition of their workplace," she said.<\/p>\n
"However, I have often received answers (from relevant
\nparties) that such information was classified," she told The
\nJakarta Post on the sidelines of the discussion.<\/p>\n
According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, less than
\n10 percent of the workforce in developing countries have access
\nto health insurance, while the remainder have poor levels of
\nhealth awareness, Astrid said.<\/p>\n
The International Labor Organization (ILO) recorded in 1999
\nthat 1.1 million people died every year of diseases and accidents
\nlinked with their occupations, and around 34 percent of those had
\ndied of cancer.<\/p>\n
The ILO also noted an increase in the number of people
\nsuffering from other work-related diseases, such as hearing and
\nrespiratory problems, skin irritations, reproductive problems,
\nand mental and nervous system illnesses.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government issued presidential decree No.
\n22\/1993, urging all companies to prevent at least 31 types of
\noccupational disease that could lead to death or disability.<\/p>\n
Pulmologist Tjandra Yoga Aditama, chairman of the Persahabatan
\nHospital's team for occupational health, said that not all
\ncompanies ensured a hygienic environment for their workers, which
\ncould cause so-called "sick-building syndrome".<\/p>\n
"When the source of an illness has yet to be identified, the
\nsymptoms suffered are referred to as sick-building syndrome. But
\nwhen it has been found it is called building-related illness.<\/p>\n
"We don't know much about this syndrome, which has certainly
\naffected employees' productivity. The issue should be brought out
\ninto the open to increase people's awareness," he told the same
\ndiscussion.<\/p>\n
Astrid said that, although Indonesia didn't have reliable data
\non occupational diseases, the country should pay serious
\nattention to work-related illnesses.<\/p>\n
"Now it's time to... improve integrated efforts to maintain
\noccupational health under the coordination of decision-makers,
\nhealth researchers, physicians and hospitals or other health
\nservice centers," she said.<\/p>\n
She also urged the government to recognize specialists in
\noccupational medicine to help deal with any health complaints
\nfrom sick workers.<\/p>",
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