Integrating Occupational Health into Primary Healthcare

26 November 2023

Kigali, Rwanda – November 21-22, 2023: A pivotal workshop was held in Kigali to integrate Occupational Health (OH) into Primary Healthcare (PHC), aiming to safeguard the health of Africa’s working population. The event was organized by COEHA in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency – AUDA-NEPAD and Mineral Africa Development Centre (MADI ). It brought together 50 participants, primarily PHC leaders from Southern, Eastern, and Northern Africa.

The two-day program, designed and delivered by COEHA and MADI, focused on integrating OH into PHC to protect workers in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector and healthcare. The first day featured presentations on the Vision for Occupational Health in Africa, Challenges and Opportunities in ASM, Protecting the Health of Healthcare Workers, and Empowering PHC Workers for OH Delivery.

The second day was dedicated to panel discussions on ASM, healthcare worker health, training PHC workers, and developing country-specific roadmaps. Notably, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia committed to developing specific projects based on the workshop discussions and their unique needs. A follow-up group was formed to monitor the progress of these initiatives.

The workshop concluded with a final communiqué summarizing the outcomes and next steps, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration and the implementation of the discussed strategies to improve occupational health across the continent.