title: [Occupational health as a priority].
abstract: The development of occupational health services in the Republic of South Africa has been limited by three factors. Firstly, occupational safety completely overshadowed occupational health. Secondly, about 8 state departments were active in its administration. Thirdly, occupational health was not interpreted as a preventable disease under the old Public Health Act No. 36 of 1919, and was hence excluded from the usual community health activities. The recommendations of the 1975 Commission of Inquiry that occupational health should fall under the scope of the Department of Health, and that the National Research Institute for Occupational Diseases should be transferred from the South African Medical Research Council to the Department of Health, have not yet been implemented. The advantages of such implementation and the estimated costs involved are discussed. A primary prerequisite is that all occupational diseases should be made notifiable diseases.
mesh_terms: D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D013019:South Africa
vernacular_title: Bedryfsgesondheid as prioriteit.