Health systems and the working poor - what are the policy options?

Reaching out to working poor with essential interventions and basic health services for prevention of occupational and work-related diseases and injuries is a particular problem. Some countries with developed primary health care networks have managed to achieve some provision of basic occupational health services to workers in rural areas, informal economy and small businesses by providing primary care providers with training in occupational health issues.   The integration of occupational health in primary health care policies and service delivery schemes faces several problems. These include lack of mechanisms for financing that foster equity in providing occupational health services, insufficient awareness of primary care providers about health problems arising from work and no access to occupational health expertise, lack of coordination between occupational health services and primary care centers, and disconnection between primary health care and labour policies.   For these reasons, WHO in collaboration with TNO Work and Employment and the Dutch Government convened in 2011 a global conference "Connecting health and labour: What role for occupational health in primary health care?" The Conference reviewed the opportunities arising from the reforms of primary health care proposed by WHO - universal coverage and access, putting people in the center of health care delivery, participatory governance and health in other policies and the role of financial mechanisms to achieve universal coverage and equity in providing access of workers to preventive and curative healthcare.   The Conference identified policy options for integration of occupational health into primary health care at the local, regional and national levels, as well as a number of strategies, financing and partnerships needed to achieve such integration. This presentation will highlight the conclusions and recommendations of the conference and will discuss the agenda for follow-up action by WHO and its partners.