ABUJA – The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday in Abuja urged stakeholders and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to collectively tackle the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa.
The NLC President, Abdulwahed Omar, made the call at a one-day interactive forum for NLC/ILO and the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC) to review the outcome of the 2014 ILO Conference in Abuja.
Omar, who was represented by his Deputy, Promise Adewusi, said that the stakeholders should not be complacent in responding to the virus outbreak in the sub-region.
Omar commended the ministries of health of ECOWAS countries for the fight against EVD.
He said that the outbreak of the virus had shown that occupational safety and health remained the major challenges trade unions must rise to tackle.
He added that “it is necessary to devise strategies on how to deal with the EVD and its consequences, especially in the workplace.”
He urged the Federal Ministry of Health to showcase its strategies and approaches used in dealing with the virus.
Omar said that the successes recorded in the fight against the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Avian-Influenza in Asia few years ago should follow the fight against Ebola continentally. [eap_ad_1] The NLC boss urged the Federal Ministry of Health not to rest on its oars until the ECOWAS sub-region was certified Ebola free.
Ms Sina Chuma-Mkandawire, the Director, ILO Office for Nigeria, called for the protection of workers from the EVD outbreak.
She said “we do not know how severe the outbreak and pandemic might be, and the overall impact on the economy and the society.
“However, we must try as much as possible to reduce the risk of infection among workers and employers.”
Chuma-Mkandawire also called on employers to develop a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to protect businesses, employees and the public under possible pandemic situations.
She added that adequate information, instruction and training for workers should be provided through collaboration with healthcare authorities. (NAN)
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