GPA Objective 1
2009 - 2012 Workplan of the
WHO CC in OH
Claudina M C A Nogueira
National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH)
of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS)
Johannesburg, South Africa
19 October 2009
A WHO Collaborating Centre and ILO/CIS National Centre
The GPA on Workers’ Health – WHY?
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To provide a framework for concerted action
by all health and non-health actors for
protecting and promoting the health of
workers
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To establish political momentum for primary
prevention of occupational diseases
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To ensure coherence in the planning,
delivery and evaluations of health
interventions in the workplace
2
Global Network Plans of WHO CC in OH
Previous WHO CC Global Network Plan (20062010) had 6 Activity Areas:
1: Global situation analysis
2: Evidence for action to support national policies
and delivery plans
3: Practical approaches to identify and reduce
occupational risks
4: Education, training and technical materials
5: Development and expansion of occupational
health services
6:Communication and networking
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Current WHO CC Global Network Plan (20092012) – 5 GPA-based Objectives; 14 priorities;
> 200 projects
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Objectives of the GPA – to improve the
health of ALL workers
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Objective 1: Devise and implement policy
instruments on workers’ health
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Objective 2: Protect and promote health at the
workplace
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Objective 3: Improve the performance of and
access to occupational health services
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Objective 4: Provide and communicate evidence
for action and practice
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Objective 5: Incorporate workers’ health into
non-health policies and projects
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GPA Objective 1 Action Areas
National policy frameworks and national action
plans for workers’ health need to include the
following elements (GPA Actions 6, 7, 8, 9, 10):
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Enactment of legislation
Intersectoral coordination of activities
Funding/resource mobilisation for protection and
promotion of workers’ health
Strengthening the capacity of ministries of
health
National profiles and priorities for action
Mechanisms for implementation
Monitoring and evaluation
Review and accountability
Special focus on high risk economic sectors
Particular attention to vulnerable groups
Specific programmes for health care workers
5
GPA Objective 1 has 4 PRIORITIES:
Priority 1.1
Develop / update national profiles on
workers’ health and provide evidence base
for development, implementation and
evaluation of national action plans for workers’
health, including vulnerable groups
Priority 1.2
Develop and disseminate evidence-based
prevention tools and raise awareness for the
prevention of silica- and other dustrelated diseases
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Priority 1.3
Develop and disseminate evidence-based
tools and raise awareness of asbestosrelated diseases
Priority 1.4
Conduct studies and develop evidence-based
tools and information materials for the
comprehensive protection and promotion of
health for health care workers with special
emphasis on Hepatitis B immunisation
7
Current Status of GPA Objective 1
Priority 1.1
Develop / update national profiles on workers’
health
Initiative Leader / Support: Jovanka Bislimovska
(Macedonia) / Ivan Ivanov (WHO)
Identified Outputs
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Comparative analysis of national strategies,
action plans and national profiles
8
Priority 1.2
Develop and disseminate evidence-based
prevention tools and raise awareness for the
prevention of silica- and other dust-related
diseases
Initiative Leaders / Support: Catherine
Beaucham, Maria Lioce-Mata, Faye Rice
(NIOSH, USA) / Ivan Ivanov (WHO)
Identified Outputs
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Evaluation of national programmes
Packages of essential intervention and good
practices – dust control, exposure and
diagnostic criteria for pneumoconioses
9
Priority 1.3
Develop and disseminate evidence-based
tools and raise awareness for the elimination
of asbestos-related diseases
Initiative Leaders / Support: Ken Takahashi
(Japan) / Ivan Ivanov (WHO)
Identified Outputs
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Estimates of the burden of disease
Review of good practices – asbestos
substitution, prevention of exposure and
health surveillance of exposed workers
10
Priority 1.4
Conduct studies and develop evidence-based
tools and information materials for the protection
and promotion of health for health care workers
with special emphasis on Hep B immunisation
Initiative Leaders / Support: Maria Lioce-Mata,
Ahmed Gomaa, Margaret Kitt (NIOSH, USA) /
Susan Wilburn (WHO)
Identified Outputs
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Tools and guidance documents
Training on national programmes
Assistance to countries for implementation and
evaluation of programmes
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GPA 1 Projects in a nutshell…
N=63 projects across the 4 priorities
WHO Regions represented: AFRO, EURO,
AMRO, EMRO, PAHO, SEARO, WPRO, WHO HQ
Priority 1.1 = 11 Projects
Priority 1.2 = 18 Projects
 Partnerships with stakeholders = 3
 Capacity in diagnosis and treatment = 8
 Best lab practices for silica = 2
 Control-focussed strategies / tools = 4
 Technical knowledge in occ hyg = 1
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Priority 1.3 = 11 Projects
 Primary prevention (substitution) = 5
 Secondary prevention (early detection) = 3
 Monitoring progress = 3
 Tertiary prevention (treat/comp) = 0 [gap]
Priority 1.4 = 23 Projects
 Needle stick prevention = 5
 Musculoskeletal / ergonomics = 2
 Stress / work organisation = 5
 Risks assoc with pharmaceuticals = 2
 Respiratory risks = 4
 Risk assessment tools/info dissemination = 5
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Each GPA 1 priority has one FACILITATING
project and various CONTRIBUTING projects
Facilitating Projects are:
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administrative projects that list all
contributing projects within a particular
priority
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used to increase communication and action
to address a particular priority
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are used to stimulate collaboration among
stakeholders
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Contributing Projects are:
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individual projects submitted to the
Workplan by CCs
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new or existing (transferred from previous
Workplan, 2006-2010)
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The 4 Facilitating Projects of GPA 1 are:
1.1 – National action plans and profiles on
workers’ health – international evidence and
policy options [11]
1.2 – Tools and best practices for prevention
of silicosis and pneumoconioses globally [18]
1.3 – Strategies and programmes for the
elimination of ARDs [11]
1.4 – Health worker OS&H (HWOSH) [23]
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The Working Groups at this WHO CC
Meeting will:
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Identify concretely the deliverables (=
measureable achievements) for 2012
expected from each priority, in line with
requirements of the GPA
Identify critical gaps which need to be filled
by 2012
Identify barriers to filling the critical gaps
and ways of overcoming barriers
Propose some long term measurable
deliverables (by 2016)
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Examples of identified deliverables
across the 4 priorities of GPA1
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Develop and update legislation, implementation and
evaluation of national policy instruments for
workers’ health: Serbia, Australia, Chile, Ukraine,
China, Vietnam
Create a global repository of national policy
instruments on workers' health [1.1]
Develop and implement training in radiologic
reading and spirometry; courses to be available
online in English, Spanish, Portuguese
Establish an inventory of best laboratory practices
for precise and accurate exposure assessment [1.2]
18
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Training video for health and hygiene experts on
prevention of asbestos-related diseases has been
completed in English, by experts in Japan – can be
used as a training tool in other countries
Compilation of national profiles (NPEAD; ILO/WHO)
in a range of countries [1.3]
Training of trainers on the usage of respiratory
protection for HCW in Cambodia, who work with
suspected avian influenza patients
Guidelines to be developed for the prevention of
work related musculoskeletal disorders associated
with patient handling tasks for nurses in public
hospitals in developing countries [1.4]
19
Some gaps identified to date across
the 4 priorities of GPA1
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There is no global list of workers’ health indicators
There is a need for the systematic review of national
policies, action plans and profiles in workers’ health
[1.1]
A coherent set of accomplishments in the Americas
could be modified and implemented elsewhere
(= sharing of successful outcomes between regions)
Additional projects are needed in the area of
pneumoconiosis and mineral dusts [1.2]
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A review of effective preventive measures for
primary prevention of ARDs is required
There is currently no project addressing the area of
tertiary prevention of ARDs (= treatment and
compensation) [1.3]
Hepatitis B immunisation campaigns are required
for health care workers
A global framework for occupational health of health
care workers should be developed and piloted in
various countries [1.4]
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