INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND LINGERING CHALLENGES

International Medical Assistance is a concept that was designed to ensure that health policy holders of any international health insurance companies are able to use their policy cards across the world with little or no difficulties. This was the idea and thinking of health insurance providers that gave room to International medical assistance program.

Though the concept has strived and performed optimally well in some countries of the world but difficulties are still being faced in proper administration, non availability of standard healthcare facilities, poor access to very fast medicare at the time of critical need, these and many more are the issues still hindering the smooth and efficient administration of international medical assistance services across the world.  

There is an urgent need to critically review processes in ensuring enrolees get good value for their money and the healthcare facilities are also rightly motivated and incentivised through timely clearance of all Guaranty of Payments (GOP) if in use and in some cases have serviceable credit lines. At the moment, the risk is currently being shifted to the enrolees who most times are not granted access to medicare either because their health insurers are not known in that part of the world they find themselves in and even in some cases they have no enough funds with them to pay off the medical bills which will be duly refunded anyway. When such cases occur, one begins to wonder if it would not have been better to have your funds to yourself and be self accountable for all health challenges and eventual outcomes within a fiscal year.

My questions are:

·         Are there ways to do these better than we are currently doing?

·         Can we collate all questions and challenges reported to a round table and identify better ways of improving on the existing services and processes?

·         Can we fully take up the risk, instead of virtually sharing it with the policy holders?

·         Are there international trade barriers that currently impede the smooth administration of international medical assistance? Can they be identified and reviewed?

·         The state it is now, can our products really win and sustain subscribers confidence? If no, then the time for review has come.

·         Are existing frauds within all levels of implementation stages also factors to be considered? If yes, can we profile the countries of high prevalence and work out ways round it?

·         Is there the urgent need to tag-on with the local health insurance companies in ensuring a face is attached to the management of subscribers in such country of treatment?

I have become rather worried over these issues of late mostly the ones i have seen in Lagos Nigeria under the international medical assistance platform. Maybe we should even define health insurance in the right context; it could just be the missing clue to fix this whole confusion.

Health insurance has been defined as the insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. Or

The insurance that compensates the insured for the expenses or loss incurred for medical reasons, as through illness or hospitalization.

The statement common to the two definitions are “incurring medical expenses” and if health insurance must act in line with this definition, it means there must be that capacity and capability to absorb or manage the health risks of the subscribers within the period of the validity of their health policy. We need more people into this pool and the only way to make this happen is to ensure a high level of trust and confidence exists between the insured, the insurer and the treating facility. The interface must be strong, cordial and mutually of measurable benefit to all parties concerned.

There are a whole lot of distrust which currently exist amongst this circle of stakeholders which have greatly imparted negatively business relationships and quality of care delivery. We understand the huge fraudulent practices and gross dishonesty on the part of the subscribers also which has a huge cost effect on the finances of the international medical assistance company. Most of these false policy claims arise from falsification of medical bills, falsification of admission that never existed, claims of known costly treatment that were never done. There could not have been such claims if there was no connivance with a health facility or a treating Doctor that issued both the false medical report and the acclaimed medical bill which the policy holders always claim they have paid for with valid receipts to support such claims. This has created a level of distrust with the relationship chain; investigations and excessive scrutiny are now in place to verify claims even when they are genuine. Is this practice what we can do away with? Yes, we can.

We do not need to play in every market, let us play in markets where we can have a level of control for our products or where we can have responsible persons or organisations duly representing our interest in effectively managing our subscribers. The International Medical Assistance companies should defractionalise and close up the market with strong capacity building and development which makes them form a strong mass through a collection of several insurers having a cover under one umbrella and trading in that name in countries where they have no comparative advantage. This we see already happening among the International Assistance Group (IAG), other smaller companies registered under them use their names in countries where they have strong controls. This is all to the benefit of the subscriber.

We have had to investigate a number of cases, case-manage so many other cases and even sometimes we had to place a local Guaranty of Payments (GOPs) in place on personal recognition for the sake of the subscribing patients who needs medicare at such times. We still feel these are not all enough, there is the need to have a face to your international medical assistance policy having an in-country representative who will at all times be available to help sort you out. When this happens, we can have international health policies and travel to Ukraine, India, Bangladesh, Morocco, Australia, China, Venezuela, Sweden and of course Nigeria without having any difficulty in accessing quality medical care based on trust, equity and fair play on the part of all stakeholders within the wheels of best global practices.

There is also the need to understand infrastructural gap which still exist in most countries and there are times mails are sent about a patient sent to healthcare providers and they at the hospitals at that moment do not have a functional internet services, these and many more creates a number of breeches in trying to run a smooth and hitch-free processes.

One of the things our company has done of late is to be able to position properly for the International Medical Assistance companies in ensuring we cater for all requests sent to us seamlessly by closely interfacing properly with all notable hospitals across the country and riding on the wings of such relationships to ensure nothing is left to chance.

We have become very involved through our Medical team in:

·         Case management

·         Bills verification and negotiation

·         Admissions confirmation

·         Treatment review and confirmation

·         Case bookings

·         GOP placements

·         Third party hospitals management

·         Local and international medical evacuations

These have greatly become very crucial units within our growing SBUs. We will keep innovating changes and ensuring what ought to be done are rightly done to create requisite value for not just the patient alone but the healthcare facilities and ultimately the International Medical Assistance community.

We just wanted to share our market experience, opportunities and the daunting challenges. Kindly read through and leave a comment.

ehi@ohsm.com.ng

POISNOUS EMISSION AND HEALTH RISKS OF RESIDENTS OF A COMMUNITY IN OGUN STATE

I was again stunned this morning to see a report on the risk posed by yet another Indian company operating within a community in Ogun State. You will recall we published a story on people living on a diet of cement in the same State. I did promise i was going to get in touch with Ogun State Government on that report, i must tell you we have met with The Occupational Health Unit of Ogun State Ministry of Health on that issue. We were rightly informed they have visited the company to see things for themselves and they are currently working on a relocation program as a way of combating the exposure. We will follow up on this and let you know what happens next.

 

Another company is reportedly inflicting residents of a community within the same State with so much smoke and carborn emission that they can barely have fresh breath, we see this as industrially murderous. We need to know the health risks associated with such harmful inhalation and the impact on the residents.

 

One of such critical health risk is asphyxiation (when the body fails to get sufficient supplies of oxygen to the tissues. Inhaling smoke blocks the intake of oxygen in the lungs, and boosts levels of the gas carbon monoxide which interferes with the ability of the blood to carry oxygen).

 

Another very critical risk inhalation of smoke particles and chemicals such as carbon monoxide and cyanide can cause is direct irritation of the lung tissues.

Visible symptoms includes but not limited to:

·Cough

·Shortness of breath

·Sore throat

·Headache

·Confusion

Serious smoke inhalation can lead to damage to the smaller airways deeper down in the respiratory system. These airways may become blocked by damaged material. The minute hairs, or cilia, that line these airways and help to ferry contaminants out the respiratory system may also be damaged. In this case, the patient may find breathing more and more difficult, as asphyxia sets in. They may become blue or cyanosed, especially around the lips and mucus membranes or noticeable on the fingertips (as oxygen levels in the blood drop), and start breathing faster to try to get more oxygen in.

 

As oxygen levels drop they may become confused and even lose consciousness. There is also a risk of developing pneumonia, or even complete respiratory failure. Alternatively their lips may appear unusually bright ‘cherry red’ which is the effect of carbon monoxide in the blood and which can disguise the cyanosis of low oxygen levels.

In addition to interfering with oxygen carriage by the blood, carbon monoxide is poisonous and causes headache, nausea and vomiting. Sometimes the person appears well, with no obvious symptoms, until the effects of carbon monoxide become apparent.

 

As well as direct tissue damage, smoke inhalation may provoke dangerous chemical reactions within the body. Pollutants contained in smoke can trigger the immune system to react, resulting in damage to the tissues. The immune system produces a cellular response and also chemicals called cytokines which seek out and helps neutralise inhaled contaminants.

 

Too much of a specific cytokine called tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) can stimulate a chain reaction that leads to the death of cells and general irritation in the lung, called a pneumonitis, which further interferes with the process of taking oxygen in to the body.

 

Having reviewed the possible risks and symptoms, you will realize the presence of these companies and their activities have nothing good to offer the health of the people residing in this community. The questions are:

 

·         Should Government fold her hands at such acts that are inimical to the health of the citizens whose electoral votes brought them into power?

·         Are we going to wait to till people die enmasse before reactions from Government which is mostly the case?

·         Is not this one case too many?

·         Does Occupational Health and Safety not encourage the "Law of reward and consequence"?

·         I am lost, my heart bleed and yet there is no solution in sight.

·         How did we get here?

·         How do we develop like this when our ineptitude destroys generation next?

·          

Only hope remains the answer. Even if tomorrow never comes, let us be sure we did the right thing within the day we have as ours.

 

Kindly read through the story as published by Ignatius Igwe of Punch Newspapers of 12th April, 2013.

 

Residents of Ajose community, Ogijo in Sagamu area of Ogun State have sent a distress call to the state government to save them from being choked to death by smoke coming from a company in the area. Chairman, Ajose Community Development Association, Mr. Akanni Jamiu, told PUNCH Metrothat a steel company within the community owned by Indians, African Founderies Ltd, had caused the people sickness as they continued to breathe in the “dangerous smoke’ everyday. He said, “The smoke from the chimney of the company always blows across the community and it is affecting our health.

 

“The tunnel meant for leading the smoke out into the air is faulty, so the smoke blows directly into our homes.”He said the pollution had been going on for about four years of the company’s inception and had caused health challenges to the residents.

Another community leader, Alhaji Fatai Shekoni, said,“People in Ogijo are really bothered about the smoke because this is a serious health concern for us all. “If you come here as early as 7am, you will see things for yourself. As I speak to you now, I have serous cough arising from the company’s smoke. “I had to send my wife and children to Lagos so they will not be victims of Asthma and Tuberculosis. I really want the government to look into this.”Shekoni said after they complained to the company, the officials organized medical test for the residents. He added that the company had refused to give them the result months after the test. He said, “They took our blood sample after a series of health complaints about two years ago and they have refused to show us the results “by the time we went to another hospital, we discovered that many of us had developed asthma, chronic cough and other forms of diseases”.

 

A resident, who gave her name simply as Mrs. Yusuf, said, “The smoke in the factory was supposed to go through the chimney but it does not, it blows directly into the atmosphere enveloping the whole town in complete darkness during the day. “A visitor to the community might think it is a total eclipse of the sun, but to us residents of Ajose, it is an everyday thing”.

 

But the head of company’s administration, Mr. Michael Aderemi, said the company was committed to finding a lasting solution to the menace. He said, “Of all the 26 steel companies in Ogijo, we are the only company that has installed a shredding machine that is fully functional to control pollution. “Also installed is air pollution machine which controls all the air pollutants by removing them. “You see, everyone cannot be satisfied and that is the major challenge we have now. In line with our Corporate Social Responsibility, we have presented to the community a functional borehole and a cheque of N350, 000 to assist the community repair its transformer.  “At present, 70 per cent of our workers are from the community.”

 

I am more confused and bothered by the statement of Michael Aderemi, the Head Administration of the company. In his work "we are the only company that has installed a shredding machine that is fully functional to control pollution". I am wondering if this is not part of what is expected as an operational safe processes in line with best practice, what they have cannot even been classified as being enough until the extent of their pollution is assessed and a very requisite equipment in line with their emission is recommended.

 

The community did not complain about your inability to dig a borehole for them; they are bothered about the health risk they suffer due to your unhealthy operational presence within their community. You gave the N350, 000 is not the issue and if i may ask, what was the fund meant for? It is very natural you employ people from the community; this is the general conduct of most companies to employ mostly artisans from host communities. How many of such community people were employed into management capacity?

 

I also think the Government has a role here. As reported, the company has spent about 2 years operating in that community which connotes it was obviously a residential area before the sudden emergence of the company unlike the case of Lafarge.

I think the Government should not place investment and revenue as a priority over the health and overall life of the people. If we really indeed want to create investment opportunity which of course is also for the people, I think there is need for due consideration of the people and the host environment. Two documents that are at the forefront of this are:

·         The Environmental Impact Assessment Document

·         The Health Impact Assessment Document

If we properly give attention to what these document advice if properly done, there will be no need for such health risk issues in the first place and even if there would be, they would have been properly captured in these documents and ways to mitigate duly implemented.

We also need to understand Government does not exist in isolation, let us properly engage the people in our projects and direct investment which have great impact on their well being. We can together create a better environment our children will be proud to inherit but the way it is now, our children will not be proud of us if this is what we want to leave for them. I am sure they will wonder if we really have them in mind when we were taking the decision that we made. The future is not about us, it is about our children, let us decide wisely and we must start it today.

“If one can touch one, we all can touch all”.

Please read and leave a comment.

ehi@ohsm.com.ng

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS AND LEGISLATIONS

The need to be productive with minimal exposure to Occupational Health risk has become an integral issue in the front burner within the International Labour Organisation and World Health Organisation. As much as this has raised so much concern, i am particularly worried over the lack of zeal and interest of most countries in paying attention to the global outcry and giving full participation in supporting a healthy and risk free work environment.

Come 28th April 2013, countries across the world will be pitching tents at different geographical locations to celebrate an ILO initiative called “World Day for Safety and Health at Work”. This program is celebrated every year on April 28 using different themes based on risk prevalence or disease trends as communicated by ILO. The theme for this year’s celebration is “The Prevention of Occupational Diseases”.

You will agree with me that this year’s theme could not have come in a better time than this taking into consideration the disregard that Occupational Diseases have suffered across many sectors of the world because of perhaps the desire to post huge profit with high compromise to the safety and health of employees or in some cases complete irresponsibility displayed by business owners and managers towards the Occupational Health plight of workers. Of late, there have been some controversies from different quarters on where to draw the line or balance the difference between working safely and working productively bearing the mind that profit is the primary reason why businesses exist.

In my opinion, in as much as every business goal is to remain profitable to the owners, we should also understand we can also remain profitable without necessarily killing and maiming people at the altar of profits. We remain even more profitable by embracing the concept of health and safety in our workplaces; it is more expensive to manage accidents than working safely. One cardinal regrets on the long term impact of the work we do on our overall health is that the eventual outcome of the effects of what we have been exposed to takes a long time to manifest and sometimes this is even after we have retired fully from work. He that works unsafely today should bear in mind there are deposits you have made which your health must draw from in time to come. Should we then continue in this manner? Will this guaranty a sustainable future? Should not we rather preserve the lives of these experienced and aged employees who are potential victims of Occupational diseases? Wouldn’t it have been better if they remain reservoir of knowledge and experience to the younger ones? Wouldn’t this contribute to Nation’s building? These and many more are questions begging for answers. Remember, the death of an elder is as good as a library burnt down, that is how history puts it.

I also feel effective organisational policies will help to forestall this ugly trends that impacts negatively on the lives of employees in their work places. But my big question is, are there enabling Occupational Health and Safety legislations in most countries to support the policies?  Perhaps the west that has reasonably good enabling legislations but why is Africa left out in this global movement that advocates sustainable development? Isn’t this an integral part of the MDG program?

If Africa is really the future global market as predicted by virtually all the renowned and respected Economists and Investment Analysts, shouldn’t Africa be at this point be at the forefront in advocating for global best practices knowing our environment, our workplaces have become the spotlight of most investors across many continents even as have been evident, Asia. This is again an indication that Africa is a reactive continent and perhaps this sums up the reason why we have not been able to embrace the concept of Occupational Health and Safety which hinges not on REACTIVE but PROACTIVE dispositions. We cannot pretend not to know the impact of these incoming investments on our environment and the health of the African people. There are a number of global economic alliances happening across Africa with the BRICS economic initiative comprising of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, there are also other happening between Nigeria and other countries. These are all investment machineries focusing on boosting trade in Africa and with Africans; good as it sounds we need to think the processes through and mitigate possible short and long term effects of these business environments for the good of all.

Let us quickly ask ourselves the following questions:

Is Occupational Health and Safety legislation process different from other bill passage processes?

If no, why the reluctance in passing this most wanted bill?

Every retired parent has a child that is gainfully employed somewhere and every child has a parent that works in some workplace, it is the way this Occupational Health and Safety issue connects us all. If we keep quiet because we have retired from active service what about our children who just got in? If we cannot speak out because we are still young and in school yet to join the labour workplace, what of our working parents? This issue concerns us all, keep not quiet but speak out where ever and whenever you have the opportunity. The safety of everyone should be everyone’s concern.

If each one can touch each one then everyone can touch every one, what a safe place the word will be. Let’s do what we can today, for the night cometh when no man can work.

Salus Populi Suprama Lex  “The safety of the people is the supreme law”.

Please read and leave a comment.

ehi@ohsm.com.ng

LIVING ON DIET OF CEMENT: SAD TALE FROM OGUN COMMUNITY IN NIGERIA

I came across this publication in a Nigerian Newpapers, The National Mirror of 24th March, 2013 and i was again very sad over the way Nigerian Government have trivialised critical issues of utmost concern to the health of Nigerians across different environment.

You will recall in one of my publications i lamented on the need for Nigerian Government to quickly sign off the Nigerian Occupational Health and Safety Bill which hopes to establish a healthy operating process framework to guaranty the safety of both employees and the host environment. It has become a great irresponsibility on the part of Government at both Federal and State levels to totally ignore or disregard the unwholesome practices that happen in Nigerian workplaces. I personally feel we can still salvage the situation before the influx of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) that Nigerian Government has been clamouring for and fast attracting.

I am not sure we can contiunue like this, these companies cannot operate with this same risk laden standard in their parent country and why allow it happen in Nigeria? The victims of the economic activities of this company at Ewekoro are observant and proactive enough to make series of complains which no one seems to be looking into right now. What i am not sure of is if the Government of Ogun State has got these reports, i will however be sending His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Ogun State a letter copying the Honourable Commissioner of Health with an attached publication as reported by The National Mirror Newspapers.

What Ogun State stands to suffer from this report is a high risk of Cancer related ailments and possible cancer related deaths from this environment where this cement company is sited. I am also worried over outbreak or persistent Dermatological concerns, my heart weeps for the future of children born to parents that reside in this environment, there stand a chance of having very critical health challenges in their youth.

Kindly take out time to read below the story as presented by Biyi Adegoroye and Tai Anyanwu both of The National Mirror Newspapers.

There are fears that the inhabitants of host communities of Cement Companies in Ewekoro and Sagamu in Ogun State now live in danger due to emissions from the companies’ factories. The fears are not misplaced. Experts confirm the risk of a cancer outbreak in the neighborhoods if nothing is done to arrest the ugly trend. But, is the government of Ogun State aware of this risk? What has the company been doing to mitigate the effect of these hazardous emissions? This and more are the focus of this investigative report by Biyi Adegoroye and Tai Anyanwu

Host communities, workers and visitors to cement manufacturing companies in Ogun State and elsewhere in the country have something in common – they are contending with gales of dust and other airborne production related particles, which are considered dangerous to health. Residents of communities like Elegunshe, Sabo, Ode Ilemo, all in Sagamu, like their counterparts at Ewekoro, which covers towns and villages like Alaguntan, Papalanto, Lageleke and Akinbo are in danger. The streets adjacent to the factories are also disturbed by what they described as a daily diet of haze of dust emitted from the plants. They expressed worries that air-borne emissions from the company’s plants pose great dangers to their health and properties. According to community leaders, youth groups and landlords, who spoke to Sunday Mirror, heavy metal, gas and dust emanating from the production plants at Sagamu and Ewekoro often have corrosive effects on the roofs of their building and vehicles parked therein. “Our roofs, beds and vehicles are covered daily by dusts and other particles, while we wash our vehicles daily because of the pollution.We also fear the emissions are dangerous to our health,” said Yekini Adeyemi, a resident of Sabo at Sagamu.

People that have visited Lafarge Wapco Pls, a cement manufacturing company, which has been in operation in the country for over 50 years, have their stories. For the residents close to Dangote Cement Company that is in the same neigbourhood at Ewekoro and staff at the cement plant at Sagamu, it is the same sad tale. The chemical contents of cement like calcium carbonate, limestone, calcite, cement kiln dust, iron, silicon and fly ash combine to emit air-borne particles, which are dangerous to health. A report by the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN) titled “Earthworm as Bio-indicator of Heavy Metal Pollution around Lafarge, Wapco Cement Factory in Ewekoro, Nigeria”, seem to lend credence to this fact.

It stated that “heavy metal pollution of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems has long been recognised as a serious environmental concern. The use of earthworm as bio-index of soil heavy metal pollution was examined to reach such conclusions. Using the Lagos/Abeokuta express road as transect, four replicates each of the soil and earthworm samples were collected from five points for analysis. “Using spectro-photometry method, heavy metal concentrations (Pb, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cd, Co) were measured in all samples of soil and earthworm. Histological studies were conducted on earthworm sections.” The result revealed dark spots and patches on the tissues of the earthworm samples collected from the cement factory area compared with clear earthworm tissues at the control site. Bioaccumulation of heavy metal in soil and earthworm was noticeable around West Africa Portland Cement factory at Ewekoro and could serve as a possible bio-index of heavy metal pollution.” The report further stated that the pollution is dangerous to humans, and so, it cannot be any less perilous to properties as well. As could be seen when Sunday Mirror visited, vehicles parked within the premises or homes nearby suffer one form of damage or another. A former distributor of Lafarge at Sagamu, who did not want his name in print said the problem has been there for over 40 years of the company’s existence. “You see, when the factory was constructed, it occupied several acres of isolated land on the Sagamu-Ikorodu road. There were no residential houses at the time. But these days, expansion of the town has culminated in the construction of residential houses around the factory,” the former distributor said.

Heavy metal pollution observed in cement production factories –Report

He did not stop there. But said, “sometimes, the lorries will wait for days within the vicinity of the company, taking turns to load. During this period, we had to watch our vehicle daily, inhaling the particles. After sometime, many had to remove their truck because of the corrosive effect of the pollutants

Motorists as well as commercial motorcyclists, who ply the area, are not spared of the heavy dusty particles from the company. They have to use nose masks to contain the toxic particles on that route, while the company has a custom-built car wash within its company premises for staff and customers. Residents of Sagamu community in particular, who maintained a structured relationship with Lafarge, said though, the company has maintained a good relationship with them, they have not discountenance the need for them to conform to international best practices.“They should at all times ensure adequate regard for the environment they operate as well as the residents in the vicinity,” they stated.

The Secretary of Sagamu Community Development Council (SCDC), Oba Sikiru Bello, Elegushe the V1, said the community holds regular meeting with the company to address all these issues. “We have notified them of the pollution and the impact such pollutions are having on our health and property. On a daily basis, we wash our vehicles because of these emissions from their plant,” the Oba said, adding, “the insidious nature of the dust pollution emanating from the exhaust pipe projected into the sky at the company’s factory is frightening. If these particles could be so damaging to the paint of the vehicles, one can imagine the impact they would have on our heart and other organs.”

The traditional ruler, however, has some kind words for the company. “They have made their impact felt in the areas of youth empowerment, construction of ICT training centre and digging of boreholes; we want them to carry out regular assessment of the impact of their production on our community and address the problem. The dust here is too much. We are aware of the fact that it has further been compounded by the on-going construction of the Sagamu- Ikorodu road by the Federal Government. You see, if you come here during rainy season, the road is almost impassable. All these factors must be addressed,” the Elegushe said.

Bernard Uzo, a dealer on electronics in Ewekoro town, also said, “when we sleep and wake up, we start to cough because every air we are breathing in is contaminated by dust. No matter how much one tries to shut the door against cement dust, one would still wake up each morning to see the bed covered with dust. We have spring water here but we cannot drink it because it has dust deposits. Chest congestion, rasping and constant cough are common sickness we experience here. I personally don’t find it easy to breathe in and out.

”One Pastor Paul of Winners Chapel, Ewekoro also explained that the air in the community is just full of dust. “The moment you decide to stay here that means you have accepted that you will have to live with the dust of the environment and will endeavour to take remedies to neutralise its effects in the body system. Those who know the secret ensure that they drink enough milk or ensure regular intake of red oil to neutralise the chemical, at all the times. The pollution has serious effect on everyone who lives or does business in this community. I have lived in Ewekoro for 10 years and I know how I have been affected by the dust. My family had to move out of this place because of the dust; I could not relocate with the rest of my family because I had to do my business here,” he told Sunday Mirror.

Apparently aware of this danger, workers and visitors to the plant at Sagamu adhere strictly to an observable health and safety policy, by utilizing personal safety equipment. These range from goggles, nose masks to helmets, which are considered compulsory before entry into the plant. Experts have said that cement dust inhalation is dangerous to the respiratory system of people exposed to it, and could cause cancer of the lungs. According to Dr. Ezekiel Ogunlewe, Consultant Cardio Thoracic Surgeon and Senior Lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), “it has adverse effects on the lungs of those who work or reside where cement is produced. It affects the lungs and also the covering of the lungs called the pleura and this can lead to cancer of the lungs or pleura, which is called Mesothelioma.” Ogunlewe told Sunday Mirror that a lot of people, who work in construction companies and live within cement production firms, do visit the hospitals with related complaints. “Most times, people do not know that they are damaging their lungs by inhaling cement dust until it is too late,” he added.

For Adeboye Yekini Babatunde, who also teaches Chemical Engineering at UNILAG, that factory is, indeed, a source of pollutants to the environment. “It is not just the vegetation that will be affected, people and animals living in that environment are subjected to danger, because the natural environment has been altered. Residents of the area will begin to inhale dangerous chemical compounds, and other addictives associated with cement including calcium carbonate, limestone, calcite, cement kiln dust, iron, silicon and fly ash, which are dangerous to health,” he explained.According to the Cardio thoracic expert, the best way not to endanger one’s health is to avoid inhalation of cement dust on constant basis. Ogunlewe agrees with him even as he urged government to stop cement factories from citing industries where people live. “And if you work or live in such location, please always use nose mask to cover,” the don advised.
Health and Safety Issues, our concern - Cement Company

But, the company is not unaware of the danger posed by the factories and it has thus made safety concern a major company policy for workers and the community. Lafarge’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Temitope Oguntokun, insisted that the company is a responsible corporate entity, which carries out periodic environmental impact assessment and ensured environment friendliness. She, nonetheless, promised to look into the complaints of the communities, adding that relationship with the community has been cordial in terms of safety and environmental concerns. She restated the fact that her organisation has a full scale policy and implementation on health and safety. “And that cuts across all cadres of staff. In terms of visible ones you can see, we have our policy on Partners Protective Equipments (PPE), which are mandatory for not only our staff, but for everybody that visits our factory. If you had attempted to enter that site, they will not allow you to enter without a PPE; you will have to undergo a safety induction; and the PPE is essentially protective equipment like goggle, nose mask, ear muff, the helmet and the boot. All of these things are compulsory for the people within the factory.”

To the residents, she said, “in Ewekoro, we have a lot of health and safety initiatives that we have put in place at all our locations. It comes as our community Social Responsibility activities (CSR). It cuts across four key areas. We have health and safety as our number one activity that we do. We have education; we have youth empowerment and we have shelter and contribution to basic and infrastructural development within the community. On health and safety, we do a lot of enlightenment campaign within the community. We get the (NGOs) that go into the community to enlighten our people.”

Oguntokun, however, deny claims that her companies pollutes its environment of operation.“We do not produce dangerous gas, which is why you need to understand the process of cement production. As regards the issue of pollution, it is just like any other manufacturing concern. There are times you have something like technical issues. When we have a technical issue, once in a while, it can lead into substitutions emission; basically dust emission. But, as an organisation that is very proactive when it comes to health and safety, may be you would have seen that with Lafarge, health is our number one priority. And with health and safety comes with the issue of environment as well, in term of protecting the environment. So, when we have such technical issues, it will just be dust pollution but we are very proactive and the communities will attest to that,”she said.

You will notice also while reading through this report that the company was sited in this environment when there were no form of residential settlement about 50 years ago. This makes me wonder if the functions or roles of the Ministry of Town and Urban Planning has changed over the years. When we place a right ladder on a wrong wall, it will definitely lead us to a wrong destination, some of the flaws we see here are the outcomes of the inefficiency of the Ministry saddled with the reposibility of town planning . There would have been no need in the first instance allocating such land to people for residential purposes, now we have  people resident in the midst of a company with high level of hazardous operations processes and what do we do at this point? It all summarises the reactive attitude of government and lack of foresight of the caliber of people that drive the affairs of government at all levels.

This does not in anyway make excuses for the company in question, there is an urgent need to put an abatement plant in place to mitigate the overall hazardous emmissions generated by your presence in that environment. In responsible economies where the health of citizens and safety of environment are issues of concern to the government which will be evident by the presence of  enabling legislations, people would be going to law courts to make claims and seek for compensations because the law has provided a basis to argue and demand for their right.

I will conclude by reviewing the statement of the Mrs. Oguntokun, the Head of Corporate Affairs of Lafarge. It is very obvious that there may have been safety processes in place to support the company's operations and that is not what the residents are complaining about, the issue at stake has to do with the pollution of the environment, air quality standard and associated health risks the operations poses to the residents. Quite a number of companies are quick to refer to CSR but how are these initiatives measured in terms of impact and benefits? How timely are these CSR progams reviewed in the best interest of the community or supposed target beneficiaries.

Having Occupational Health and Safety activities duly regulated in Nigeria is the only answer, we need to put pressure on Mr. President to sign off this Nigerian Occupational Health and Safety Bill which has been passed by The Nigerian Senate since September, 2012. It is of utmost importance to Nigeria and Nigerians in this phase of our checkered economic evolution to have an enforceable National Legislation on Occupational Health and Safety. We also need the States and their Legislators to rise up and intitiate enabling legislations to safeguard the health of workers and safety of environment in areas within their geographical control. WE CAN DO IT. "IF YOU WILL, I WILL".

Kindly read through and leave a comment.

ehi@ohsm.com.ng

NIGERIAN WORKPLACES: DEATH SNARES AND TRAPS

I really get worried over how many Nigerians should die before our Government accords the safety of Nigerians in all workplaces the attention it deserves. Have you ever bothered on the post incident trauma every accident inflicts on both the victim and fellow workers.

 

I am really sad and just hope and wish we can just do the right thing, show a little concern, this is one case to many. This young man has been demobilised for life. Really sad, you need to take out time to read through this horrifying encounter as reported by Simon Utebor and published in page 9 of The Punch Newspapers of 11th March, 2013. 

Mark Okilla, an engineering mason with Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Lagos State, whose right arm was chopped off by one of the company’s construction machines, has accused CCECC of neglecting him.

 

Okilla’s arm was grounded by a pulley machine from the finger to his chest. The machine later tore the arm completely. The stump was later covered by layers of skin removed from his lap. The 26-year-old man said the company merely dumped him in the hospital and since then, had not deemed it fit to check on him and did not care how his family was faring since the incident that left him incapacitated for life. He said, “It is lamentable that a company I have been working for since two years ago could abandon me at a critical point in my life. “The company only deemed it necessary to look into my plight when lawyers threatened a legal action and petitioned the Lagos State Government. “Even at that, the company, in a bid to satisfy the government, paid some medical bills without any official coming around to know how I was faring let alone knowing how my family was being fed.

 

”Okilla told Punch Metro on Friday that on January 5, 2013, he had left his 3, Ojo Afeje home in Orile Iganmu for work in high spirits but his joy was cut short by the accident. Explaining how the accident happened, Okilla said, “On the fateful day, I was forcefully assigned extra duty in a different department I had no knowledge of to operate a locally-fabricated pulley machine used for removing rubber from the cast beam- after completing my normal day’s job. “This was a technical department that required proper training and safety devices which were not provided. Masons have nothing to do with operating machines. The said machine had been faulty and was fixed a few days previously, but on that day while holding and guiding the wire rope and belt continuously from the machine to ensure accuracy, the machine malfunctioned and got stuck on the other end that was attached to the beam. “The beam being heavier than the machine forced the machine to pull from the base and moved towards me with such a force that suddenly dragged my hand into the machine. The machine continued to drag and grind my hand until my chest, which could not pass through the machine, stopped it. The stoppage forced the right hand to pull off instantly and stuck into the machine.“I was told that I fainted and only recovered after surgery. I continued to suffer in the hospital without proper feeding and medical attention due to lack of money to buy prescribed drugs. “In fact, upon all this, my two months’ salaries were only paid after my relations threatened to cry out to Nigerians for justice. “It was soon after my accident that the company built the normal safety barricade that should have been there before. “Because of the severity of the accident, when my arm was deteriorating and refused to heal, the doctors had to cut some flesh from my right lap to add to my arm. It was such a gory sight! ”He appealed to Nigerian government and Nigerians for justice against CCECC whom he accused of enslaving young Nigerians.

 

Counsel for Okilla, Mr. Moses Gbagbo, of Kings and Goodman (Solicitors), in a letter demanding compensation from CCECC, said the mishap would have been avoided. He said this was because of negligence on the part of the company which allegedly failed to provide a conducive working environment. He said, “Our client, who is in his prime is now maimed for life and will forever be dependent on other people for his survival. “As it is right now, all our client’s plans have come to nought as he is now handicapped due to your fault in not providing an enabling environment for him to work.”The lawyer has therefore demanded that CCECC pay N1bn to his client for the permanent incapacitation.

 

Gbagbo said if the company failed to grant his client’s request, he would not hesitate to institute legal proceedings against CCECC.The letter to the CCECC, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, was also copied to the Lagos State Government, National Assembly and the Benue State Government.When our correspondent contacted CCECC Human Resources Manager, who identified himself only as Mr. Wang on the telephone on Sunday, he asked, ‘Who gave you my number’? ”When our correspondent tried to explain further, Wang retorted, “The problem with Mark is not the problem of the public. It is the corporation’s problem.“Whatever you want to do you can do. If you want to put in the paper, you can do that. Please, do not call my phone again. ”Wang subsequently cut the phone.

 

Dear readers, as pathetic as the story may sound, i need you to also leave your most honest view on the comments space.

 

Do you think the Nigerian Government has been fair to Nigerians and Non Nigerians in Nigerian workplaces?

 

Why can we have agencies responsible for regulations, inspections and conquences/penalties?

 

Would you really want to blame these Chinese companies who are not safety cultured?

 

Have you ever wondered why Nigeria has become an investment destination for Asians?

 

Where there are no legislations, operating standards  or policies, you cannot hold anyone accountable.  What is difficult in Mr. President applying his signature to the Occupational Health and Safety Bill that has been passed by The Nigerian Senate in 2012?

 

It is really shameful saddening, we can go on this way. No! 

 

Ehi Iden

ehi@ohsm.com.ng