10 Sep 2017

Botswana has a high incidence of Tuberculosis (TB ) particulary in miners and ex-minors as evidenced by the incidence rate.  

This was revealed by TB in the mining sector in Southern Africa (TIMS)chief of party, Dr Julian Naidoo at the launch of Botswana’s first Occupational Health Service Centre in Molepolole on Tuesday.

Dr Naidoo said the prevalence of TB in miners or mining areas was 1 320 per 100 000 which was about three times higher than the general population, with silicosis prevalence in miners standing at 10.2 per cent.

Explaining the TIMS programme grant and its contribution to the reduction of TB burden in the mining sector in 10 Southern African countries, vice chairperson of the regional coordinating mechanism, Professor Lischen Haoses-Gorases explained that TB in the mining sector aims to address the high rate of TB amongst mine workers, ex-mineworkers, their  families and peri-mining communities in the SADC region.

Through a number of scalable innovative and strategic interventions, she said they included using modern technology and the piloting of targeted “cross-border” interventions.

She noted that mineworkers had a risk of contracting TB than the general population, and that their difficult working conditions naturally exposed them more to substantial environmental and occupational health and social services.

She also highlighted that it was the case for mineworkers in medium, small and artisanal mines in the region.  

She said on returning to their home countries, the probability of their dependents being infected with TB increased.

Ms Haoses-Gorases further noted that while migrant workers in South African mines accessed occupational health services and compensation for occupational diseases, it was not the case when they exited employment.

She said when Batswana miners retired and returned home, access to regular post-employment examination which was essential for early detection and treatment of occupational lung diseases as well as access to compensation services remained a challenge.

She stressed that it was largely due to the lack of occupational health services in Botswana which meant ex-mineworkers who worked  in South African mines had to travel between South Africa and Botswana to access the services.

“A major disincentive for ex-miners and a burden on the Botswana public health system.”

However, she said the establishment of the Boswelakoko Occupational Health Service Centre sought to address the challenge of reduced occupational health services including compensation for occupational lung diseases such as TB and silicosis.

Additionally for the first time ever, an IT link between the Occupational Health Service Centre and South Africa’s Compensation Fund has been established to improve access to compensation for ex-mineworkers.

Ex miner, Mr Simon Dikhudu said that he was happy that their concerns regarding their health have finally been addressed.  

He said for a long time miners’ health had been compromised because of the conditions they were exposed to while working in the mines, but  without access to proper health programmes.  

Of great concern to miners was lack of compensation for miners after they had quit or retired.  

He said some miners have died while waiting for compensation and that their widows suffered the consequences.

He applauded the initiative of a fully-fledged occupational health centre as it would resolve their long standing problems.  

He also applauded government for efforts in gathering information on miners and ex-miners, and to find out where they werer and how they lived for continuous support. Ends