Collaboration to Address Occupational Health Challenges in Pakistan
Karachi: The Department of Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University (AKU) recently hosted a dissemination seminar for the piloting of the “Sindh Occupational Diseases and Injuries Surveillance System” (SODISS). The project, conducted in collaboration with the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI), marks a significant step towards initiating occupational health surveillance in Pakistan.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between SESSI and AKU for this pilot project, allowing the development and implementation of a simple, digital surveillance system at SESSI hospitals in Karachi. This system enabled physicians to accurately record occupational diseases and injuries among registered workers, contributing to the creation of the first industry-specific occupational health data registry in Pakistan.
Dr. Asaad Ahmed Nafees, Associate Professor and Principal Investigator of the SODISS project, provided an overview of the project’s key findings and 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 Commissioner SESSI, Mr Miandad Rahoojo, who appreciated the research work conducted by the team. He emphasized the need for high-quality data to assess the impact of poor safety standards and SOPs at workplaces, and highlighted the importance of collaboration for prevention through mass awareness and provision of the required occupational health and safety measures.
Also in attendance were representatives from the Labour Department, Government of Sindh, and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), as well as several occupational health experts. The Deputy Director Labour Department, Mr. Javed Ahmed, underscored the significance of the SODISS initiative for the broader labour community, stating that the data and insights gained from the project will be crucial in developing better health and safety regulations. The SODISS project successfully collected data from two thousand patients, analyzing diseases and injuries among workers in high-risk industries, such as auto workshops, tire and glass factories, soap and detergents industry, and flour mills. The next steps include scaling 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 according to the local context.
