By Chioma Obinna

Stakeholders in the health and judiciary sectors have called on the National Assembly to pass into law the Occupational Safety Health Bill as a means of averting occupational hazard in the country.

According to statistics made available by the International Labour Organization, ILO, about 2.3 million people die each year from work-related injuries, averaging over 6,400 workers a day worldwide.

Accurate statistics on the Nigerian situation is not available but it is estimated that over 25,000 people die yearly of work-related injuries.

Stakeholders at the 2nd Annual Scientific Conference with the theme: “Occupational Injuries”, organised by the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos, NOHIL, maintained that the safety and health of Nigerian workers should be a cause for concern for the employee, the employer and the society at large.

They agreed that the passage of the Bill, in line with ILO standards and implementation of the already existing laws will guarantee a healthy workforce and ensure that victims are compensated.

The guest lecturer, Mr. Fred Nzeako, in his topic: “Socio-Economic & Legal Challenges in Occupational Injuries”, said the bill encapsulates virtually everything needed to ensure the safety and health of the worker.

Stressing the need to mitigate the socio-economic and legal challenges in occupational injuries, Nzeako said: “Many Nigerian workers suffer untold neglect of their welfare and are often abandoned to their fate whenever they sustain injuries.

”The need to improve the productivity of the nation’s workforce by drastic reduction of occupational injuries should be given priority attention now that Nigeria’s economy is technically in recession and needs improved productivity and healthy workforce to recover from the current economic doldrum. All hands must be on deck.”

Nzeako stressed the need for government to pay attention to the healthcare industry, adding that this had led to massive migration by Nigerians who have the means for medical tourism abroad.

He said added that the monies spent on medical tourism can be aggregated and put together to enhance the institutions at hand.

In his remarks, the Medical Director, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi Lagos, NOHIL, Dr. Olurotimi Odunubi called for the implementation of already existing laws in order to protect the workers.

Odunubi said: “Companies and individuals should take measures to prevent them because it is not in all cases that you can bring back the patient back to the pre-injury capability after treatment so it is better prevented than treating.

“Right now, we have one that has been in the hospital since March. He cannot go home because he could not pay his bills. Despite waving the bills the relations have not come to take him.