MEDIA VITAL IN ELIMINATING OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS

WORKERS Compensation Fund Control Board (WCFCB) Management has applauded the media FOR playing a major role in educating the public on occupational injuries and diseases in the country.

WCFC% Chief Executive 2fficer, Elizabeth Nkumbula said the partnership that existed between the media and the company was important in the advancement of social security for employment injuries and diseases.

Dr Nkumbula was speaking during the 2018 Media awards for WCFCB at Protea Hotel in Ndola.She noted that occupational injuries and diseases needed special attention because such issues were often overlooked by society.

She said with intense media coverage of occupational fatalities and diseases, a world without accidents and diseases was a huge possibility. Dr Nkumbula said world statistics by the International Labour 2rganization indicated that over million people die annually at work places while 374 million people experienced occupational accidents and illness leading to an annual global economic loss of 3.94 per cent. “World statistics on occupational accidents compiled by the ILO indicate that at least over 200 million plus workers die annually as a result of work related accidents although in Zambia, the statistics appear to be grossly under reported.

“There is at least an average of 1200 accidents and diseases reported to workers compensation every year,” she said.

Dr Nkumbula said occupational accidents were as a result of many factors such as human error, poor state of equipment and machinery and non-conformance to work safety procedures.

She said as a long term solution, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) had launched a global campaign known as the ‘Vision Zero Campaign.’ The campaign, she said, is meant to improve the safety and well-being of workers.

Additionally, she said, the aim of the campaign was to engage companies to systematically eliminate occupational accidents and injuries by investing in health and a motivated work force.

Dr Nkumbula finally cheered on the media to continue educating and informing the public on issues of social security, occupational hazards and how they can be prevented and helped if the fatality ever occurred. In the awards, the best radio reporting award went to Nicolas Sibanda of ZNBC while the second place was scooped by Tinkerbel Mwila of Radio phoenix. Monica Kayombo of Zambia Daily Mail scooped the best reporting award in the print category.

Times of Zambia’s Jowit Saluseki was second in the print category while the best television reporter was scooped by Mike Mubanga of Muvi TV and veteran Mpundu Mwape of NAIS got the second position.

Stanfrance of the Zambia Daily Mail scooped two awards, the best photographer and most consistent.