National

Indo-U.S. pact on occupational health

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI May 14. The cause of environmental and occupational health, which has been one of the most neglected areas in the scheme of things at both the Central and State levels, is all set to get a major boost with India and the U.S. today signing an agreement to establish an exclusive joint collaborative programme.

The pact, signed by the Union Health Minister, C.P. Thakur, and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy G. Thomson, envisages transfer of technologies for a wide range of activities from abatement of air and water pollution to effective disposal of industrial wastes and prevention and management of chemical disasters, and conduct of joint studies on issues such as relation of environment with genetics and nutritional factors and indoor air pollution.

It is estimated that 30 per cent of deaths occurring in the country may be due to some environmental-related disease or the other and that an average Indian loses about 124 days of healthy life a year because of environmental problems in the country, second only to sub-Saharan Africa, where the loss was estimated at 211 days.

In terms of occupational health, it has been estimated that India accounted for 37 per cent of the global burden of occupational injuries and contributed to 32 per cent of deaths due to them. In terms of actual numbers, the estimate was 45,000 fatal injuries and 17 million non-fatal injuries occurred every year in India due to accidents at workplaces.

A major issue that is to be taken up for immediate perusal under the new programme relates to the study of the problem of lead poisoning. While in the West, automobile emission was considered the primary cause of lead poisoning, and consequently efforts there were focussed on making fuels used in automobiles lead-free. In India, on the contrary, scientists have identified several other risk factors apart from exhaust fumes. Climatic and geographical situations differed and so did body metabolisms. The collaborative study would seek to unravel these aspects to help develop better technologies to tackle the problem.

The Indian Council of Medical Research would be the nodal agency for the Indian side. On behalf of the U.S., there would be two nodal agencies - the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

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