Biomaterial Database

Policy and strategy for occupational health services in South Africa. 1991

J E Myers, and I Macun

Department of Community Health, University of Cape Town.

Recent events in South Africa have spurred policy thinking in many areas, including occupational health. Strategic thinking needs to take account of current and likely future economic and political conditions in the new South Africa. The present occupational health system, considered as a network of health services, educational and research facilities along with a mechanism of legal regulation of workplace conditions, and compensation for occupationally-related disability, is reviewed and found to be inadequate in several respects. A possible structure for an integrated occupational health system is outlined at national, regional and local levels. Both service provision and financing arrangements are addressed. The interrelation between occupational health services and general health services for workers and their dependants is approached from the point of view of the desirability of comprehensive primary health care services catering to all health needs of all workers and their dependants. Appropriate linkages between levels of care (primary, secondary and tertiary), and between relevant institutions required for an efficient occupational health system are outlined.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009786	Occupational Health Services	Health services for employees, usually provided by the employer at the place of work.	Employee Assistance Programs (Health Care),Employee Health Services,Employment-Based Services,Health Services, Employee,Health Services, Occupational,Services, Employee Health,Services, Employment-Based,Services, Occupational Health,Assistance Program, Employee (Health Care),Assistance Programs, Employee (Health Care),Employee Assistance Program (Health Care),Employee Health Service,Employment Based Services,Employment-Based Service,Health Service, Employee,Health Service, Occupational,Occupational Health Service,Program, Employee Assistance (Health Care),Programs, Employee Assistance (Health Care),Service, Employee Health,Service, Employment-Based,Service, Occupational Health,Services, Employment Based
D009787	Occupational Medicine	Medical specialty concerned with the promotion and maintenance of the physical and mental health of employees in occupational settings.	Industrial Medicine,Medicine, Industrial,Medicine, Occupational
D006291	Health Policy	Decisions, usually developed by government policymakers, for determining present and future objectives pertaining to the health care system.	Health Care Policies,Health Policies,Healthcare Policy,National Health Policy,Care Policies, Health,Health Care Policy,Health Policy, National,Healthcare Policies,National Health Policies,Policies, Health,Policies, Health Care,Policies, Healthcare,Policy, Health,Policy, Health Care,Policy, Healthcare
D013019	South Africa	A republic in southern Africa, the southernmost part of Africa. It has three capitals: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial). Officially the Republic of South Africa since 1960, it was called the Union of South Africa 1910-1960.	Republic of South Africa,Union of South Africa