Occupational health in the Republic of Moldova: characteristics and constraints

Abstract

Introduction Monitoring the risk factors at work and the health of employees in relation to employment are the essential for strengthening and promoting the health of the employed population, by developing measures for the primary prevention of occupational diseases. Purpose Assessing the current situation of the occupational health in the Republic of Moldova and elaboration of the vision of the national policy for the development of the Occupational Health Service. Material and methods. An analytical study of the occupational health sector was carried out by analyzing the dominant factors that influence the activity: the legal framework for regulating the field of occupational health and safety, the management and institutionalization of the field, professionalism and responsibility. To justify the conclusions, the official statistics data were analyzed. Results. During the years 1989-2019, there is a tendency to increase the number of working places with harmful and dangerous working conditions, by 9-12 thousand annually. In periodic medical examinations are detected only 0.6-2.5% (out of 90 thousand) people with deviations in status of health, compared to 95% and 94% - in Finland and Hungary accordingly and no cases of occupational diseases. The evaluation of the legal framework governing the field of health and safety and health at work develops largely in two ways: the development and adoption of new laws in line with European standards and the adjustment of the content of previously adopted laws to the rigors of European legislation. There is a distoñed understanding of the 2 aspects of the Occupational Safety and Health Service (OSHS), with the domination of occupational safety. When transposing the EU legislation in the f‹eld of OSHM, the pañicularities of its institutionalization in the Republic of Moldova were not considered. Conclusions. In order to align the Republic of Moldova to international standards and implement good practices in the field of occupational health, it is time to develop a new national policy in the Łfeld of occupational safety and health and the ratification of ILO Convention 161\1985.