SS070.1-4 The role of Basic occupational health services approach in the development of occupational health system in R.Macedonia

Wednesday, March 21, 2012: 15:15
Cozumel 5 (Cancun Center)
Jovanka Karadzinska Bislimovska, Macedonia, FYR
New reform concept in occupational health and safety sector in R. Macedonia aims at adaptation of the system to the new political and socio-economic platform, at meeting international criteria and EU accession.
During the past ten years, the privatization of primary health care (PHC) was followed by assignment of a part of OH specialists to general practice at the PHC level (GPs). This reduced number of specialist physicians and coverage of OHS (15%) and decreased the preventive OH activities.
New legislation and national strategic documents in OH&S according to the EU request supported by the authorities, OH professionals, institutions, and WHO EURO gave positive input to the OH reform activities.
OHS within the Health Centres (PHC level), in major municipalities, with a special regulation, were excluded from the privatization, and the Institute of OH was designated as a national institute, establishing a national PH Network coordinated by the Institute. The existing national OHS infrastructure should be further developed focused primarily to the high-risk sectors and the underserved groups. In this way, the Basic OHS approach at PHC was recommended in order to increase the OHS’ coverage and access. Since 2006, the Institute and PH Network on OHS are realizing the national preventive programs for unemployed and agricultural workers using the BOHS model.
To ensure the full functioning of the OHS within the network, there is a need to reactivate the OH specialists who are working at PHC as GP, to develop OHS’ legislation and standards, to introduce the BOHS models at all levels, to build up the capacities, to implement the new Strategy for OH&S and Action Plan as one of the key priorities in EU integration and overall reform processes in the country.