As delivered by Medical Officer at Urban Health Promotion Center, Kathmandu Metropolitan City -19, the occupational health and safely (OHS) consultations are running for waste workers registered under Samyukta Safai Jagaran (SASAJA).
Aim of OHS Consultation
This one-to-one consultation is done for the waste workers, with the motive of assessing exposure to occupational hazards, identifying major occupational risks and supportive risks and postulating probable treatment/prevention measures to mitigate them.
Estimated Time Duration of OHS Consultation:
One session of consultation takes about 20-25 minutes of time.
Consultation Ambience:
These consultations take place in the cabin of medical officer, ensuring confidentiality and privacy.
Procedure:
1. It starts with building rapport with the waste worker who is asked about their name, age, sex, current address and permanent address, duration of engagement in the occupation in years, average working hours per day and if they have any health insurances.
2. Then, the consultation takes its pace in assessing their exposure to occupational health hazards such as environment of working space whether inside or outside, health case wastes, dog bites or animal bites, heavy metals, high level of noise, past experience of sharp cuts (metals or glass), carrying heavy loads and any others.
3. Then, medical history of the waste worker including their family history is assessed – such as presence of diabetes, hypertension, past or ongoing health problems, history of surgery and regular medicines undertaken at the present time. Also, their use of contraception methods is also assessed. However, for women, obstetrical history (history of pregnancies) and current obstetrical status are also assessed, such as number of pregnancies and deliveries.
4. This consultation moves forward to know if they use any substances such as smoking (including tobacco, betel leaf and other), chewing/chicking and alcohol consumption. If they use any, estimated quantity per day is asked. Moreover, their desire to quit these substance use is also asked.
5. Then after, their vaccination status, along with the number of doses for Tetanus toxoid and Diptheria (Td) and Hepatitis B, Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), Tuberculosis (BCG), pentavalent and COVID-19 is known.
6. Mental and Psychosocial health screening is done regarding depression and stress. Both retrospective and prospective questions are asked.
7. Finally, general bodily examination is done, starting from assessing the height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), Eye, ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat), Mouth, gums and teeth, chest, pulse, oxygen concentration, blood pressure, abdomen, odema and urinary infections.
8. Then, few lab tests such as blood tests for sugar level, HIV status, concentation of nitrites, protein and heamoglobulin (Hb) is done.
9. Finally, the medical officer postulates treatment protocols, recommends vaccines and family planning if any, regimens such as albendazole, iron and alas, presents referrals if required.
Tools used for consultation:
Health Card: to be given to the waste worker after consultation presentimg recommended treatments, regimens, vaccinations and referrals.
Interview Sheet: for the record of the answers taken from the OHS Consutation.
