User:Isra8080/Occupational health in Tanzania

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Occupational Health covers a wide range of aspects that involves identifying risks at workplaces ( chemical, physical, biological, psycho social, ergonomic and mechanical hazards) and take correct measures to safeguard lives and injuries that might affect exposed workers.

introduction
Tanzania is a United Republic of Former Tanganyika (currently referred to Tanganyika mainland) and Zanzibar. The estimated population has dramatically increased from 12.3 to 44.9 million people from 1967 to 2012 respectively (Figure 1. below), [ The United Republic of Tanzania: Population Distribution by Administrative Units: key findings: 2013. [cited Aug, 2015] Available at http://nbs.go.tz/nbs/sensa/PDF/2012%20PHC%20POPULAR%20VERSION.pdf ]. The current working group (15- 64 years of age)  of  is estimated to be 52.2%. The National economy still depend mostly on agriculture that holds up to 40% of Gross Domestic Products (GDP) [Ministry of Health Tanzania: Human Resource For Health Country Profile 2012/13. [cited Aug, 2015] Available at http://www.tzdpg.or.tz/fileadmin/documents/dpg_internal/dpg_working_groups_clust	ers/cluster_2/health/Key_Sector_Documents/HRH_Documents/Final_Country_Profil	e_2013]. Agriculture sector employs 76.5% of workforce in the Country; Industry sector (4.3%); and services (19.2%) [KPMG: Monitoring African Sovereign Risk: Tanzanian Snapshort: 2013 Quarter 3. [cited Aug, 2015] Available at: www.kpmg.com/Africa/en/KPMG-in- Africa/Documents/2013%20Q3%20Snapshots/KPMG_Tanzania%202013Q3.pdf]

Occupational Health in Tanzania Perspective
The country had been operating under Factories Ordinances Cap. 297 of 1950 that provided for occupational health and safety standards in the country. Through various sector reform programmes, The National established Occupational Health and Safety Authority under The Executive Agency Act No. 30 of 1997 which become officially operational late 2001 [OSHA- Tanzania: Background: http:www//osha.go.tz/index.php/about-osha/background]. Moreover in 2003 the Occupational Health and Safety Act No. 5 was enacted giving the authority mandatory objectives of providing the safety, health and welfare of persons at work in factories and other places of work; to provide for the protection of persons other than persons at work against hazards to health and safety arising out of or in connection with activities of persons at work [The United Republic of Tanzania: The Occupational Health and Safety Act No.5 of 2003]. Other Country initiatives the country has gone through includes incorporation of Occupational Health and safety matters in other Principal legislations such as The Tropical Pesticides Research Institute Act of 1979; The Pharmaceuticals and Poison Act of 1978; The Atomic Energy Act of 2003, The Industrial and Consumer Chemicals Act of 1985 ; The Mining Act of 2010 and Employment and labour relation Act No.6 of 2004 with subsequent establishment of Labour Court (being part of The High Court of Tanzania). In 2008 another important step was made; The establishment of Workers' Compensation Fund through Workers Compensation Act No. 20 of 2008 [The United Republic of Tanzania: Workers Compensation Act No. 20 of 2008] with objectives of providing for compensation to employees for disablement of death caused by or result from injuries or diseases sustained or contracted in the course of employment; to establish Fund for administration and regulation of workers compensation and to provide for related matter.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), estimates that more than 2.3 million people die of work-related accidents and diseases every year and 317 million accidents annually occur due to workplace hazards. The figures further explain that out of 2.34 million occupational fatalities every year; only 321,000 are due to accidents, the remaining 2.02 million deaths are caused by various types of work-related diseases, which correspond to a daily average between 5,500 up to 6,000 deaths [International Labour Oorganization:Safety in Numbers:Pointer for Global safety culture at work: Geneva 2003. [cited Aug, 2015] Available from www.ilo.org]

Occupational Injuries
Mining sector is fast growing in a country and significant number of workers both in conventional and small scale mining are employed. The sector contributes up to 40% of country's export [Tanzania Chamber of Minerals and Energy: Mining in Tanzania: Overview of 	mining sector: [cited Aug, 2015] Available from http://www.tcme.or.tz.] and it was estimated to contribute up to 7.7% of national GDP by end of 2015 [International Council on Mining and Metals: The challenge of mineral wealth : 	Using resource endowments to foster sustainable development; Tanzania Country 	Case Study: July, 2007[cited Aug, 2015] Available from www.icmm.com]. Status of occupational accidents and injuries varies considerably between different sources. It is estimated that in mining/quarry, the injury rate  is 17 per 1,000 workers whereas  Industry sector is responsible for 10.1% of total occupational accidents, 9.6% of fatalities, 12.2% of partial disabilities and about 7.4% of temporary disability and the injury rate is 9.9 per 1,000 workers [Contractor Registration Board: Status of Occupational Health and Safety in The Tanzanian Construction Industry [cited Aug, 2015] available at http://www.crbtz.org/documents/newsletter/dec2009/ohsstatus.pdf]

Report from National Audit office (NAO) showed that construction/building industry had highest Fatality rate of 23.7% followed by Transport and mining/quarrying that had 20.6% and 20.5 respectively (table 1 below) [The United Republic of Tanzania, National Audit Office. A Performance Audit Report on The Management of Occupational Health and Safety in Tanzania, 2013. [cited Aug, 2015] available at http://www.nao.go.tz/?wpfb_dl=98]. Injuries in transport sector is another life threatening risk that continues to claim lives of people especially motorcyclist and public transport (buses). however the major challenge in these information is validity and reliability as the reporting and data keeping system in Tanzania is not well coordinated. {| class="Fatality rate Sector- wise" ! Sector!! Total Employed !! Number of fatal injuries !! Fatality rate (%) The presented information may be challenged by several other factors as reporting system is not well functional. There were a total of 6,599 registered workplaces equivalent to 24% of eligible workplaces. This challenges is a challenge to The Authority dealing with Occupational safety and Health in Tanzania. Accelerated development as a result of new large discoveries and investments in Oil, gas and Uranium and expected spill - over effects calls for serious investments in this areas as more workers will be involved and exposure to occupational hazards will need serious interventions.
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