09:50 - 12:30, International Conference Hall
Plenary Session 1
Global Health Impact of Asbestos: Urgent Action is needed
Chairs: Kogi Kazutaka and Laurie Kazan-Allen
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Sophia Kisting
Occupational and Environmental Health Research Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa [not-attended]
Presented by Fred Gona, National Union of Mineworkers, South Africa
ABSTRACT:
Asbestos mining in South Africa started around 1895 and continued until 2001. The shrinking international asbestos market resulted in decline in production from 1978 onwards. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), concerned about high levels of exposure and disease, organized for audits of surveillance programmes at various asbestos mines.
Screenings involved review of occupational and medical histories, chest radiographs and spirometry. Chest radiographs were read using the standardised International Labour Organisation (ILO) classification for pneumoconiosis. Lung function tests were interpreted using the American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria. Records of more than two thousand workers in crocidolite, amosite and chrysotile mines were reviewed over an 8 year period. Prevalence of asbestos-related disease (ARD) amongst retrenched workers ranged from 21-39% (crocidolite mines); 26-36% (chrysotile mines) and 37% in one amosite mine. Workers were also exposed to asbestos in the transport, construction, asbestos-cement, motor, energy, textile and waste-disposal industries. In addition, community members have been exposed to asbestos because of the extensive contamination of the environment. Given the epidemic proportions of ARD among exposed workers and surrounding communities, the Parliamentary Asbestos Summit was convened under the auspices of the Department of Environment and Tourism (DEAT) in the National Parliament of South Africa (1998). All major role-players were involved, and practical recommendations were made to address the asbestos epidemic. The DEAT recently announced in Parliament that asbestos use will be prohibited and will be phased out over three to five years for products where no current alternatives are available.
Trade Union and civil society organization as well as litigation have been important in attempts to address the asbestos legacy of injustice, poverty, inequality and disease burden left by apartheid.
Future intervention challenges include further implementation of the Asbestos Summit recommendations; developing responsive models of health service delivery for asbestos sufferers; improving the quality of life indices (education, skills level, employability, income, social security, health) of affected individuals; adequate funding and resource allocation for sustainable development programmes and further environmental rehabilitation and preventive measures with community participation.