KARACHI: The department of community health sciences at Aga Khan University (AKU) in collaboration with the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) conducted a project under which health experts collected and analysed injury and disease-related data of 2,000 patients who worked in different industries.

This information was shared at a seminar organised at the AKU where speakers stated that the project -- Sindh Occupational Diseases and Injuries Surveillance System -- marked a significant step towards initiating occupational health surveillance in Pakistan.

According to them, the project successfully collected data from 2,000 patients, analysing diseases and injuries among workers as well as identifying high-risk industries which included auto workshops, tire and glass factories, soap and detergents industry and flour mills.

The next step, they said, was to scale-up such efforts at the provincial and national level, augmented by targeted surveys in high-risk industries, as well as sustained efforts for the prevention of occupational diseases and injuries.

Dr Asaad Ahmed Nafees, associate professor and principal investigator of the project, provided an overview of the project, highlighting key findings and discussing the way forward.

“This project represents a critical step in understanding the health challenges faced by workers in key industries across Karachi. The data we gathered will be instrumental in shaping future occupational health policies and interventions,” said Dr Nafees.

The event was attended by senior leadership from SESSI, including its Commissioner Miandad Rahoojo, who appreciated the research work conducted by the team.

He reinforced the need for high-quality data to assess the impact of poor safety standards and SOPs at workplaces; and emphasised collaboration for prevention through mass awareness and provision of the required occupational health and safety measures.

“The collaboration between SESSI and AKU has opened new avenues for improving worker health and safety in Sindh. The data collected through the project will be helpful not only for better decision-making at SESSI, but will also enable us to take informed actions for the protection of our workforce,” stated Mr Rahoojo.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2024