Materia Medica Malaysiana

Socso doctors must probe further

Are hundreds of occupational diseases going undetected because of a lack of investigation by Socso’s 4,666 panel doctors?
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn thinks so as the number of cases reported nationwide seem too low for the worker population. There were only 178 cases in 1998, 192 in 1999, 278 in 2000, 204 in 2001, 216 in 2002, 180 in 2003, and 188 last year.
"I feel there has been under-reporting as the number should be higher," Fong told the New Straits Times. "I feel Socso doctors have failed to adequately probe and investigate cases.
"They should check if the diseases were related to the nature of job of workers, the machines they were working with, chemicals they handled and if their places of work had noise or dust pollution."
Fong said Socso panel doctors needed to fully investigate if workers’ illnesses were related to their jobs and workplace environments.
Most occupational disease cases referred to Socso doctors involved noise pollution.
Fong said most occupational diseases such as contact dermatitis, asthma, pneumoconioses (for example asbestosis), hypersensitivity pneumonitis, inhalation fever and heavy metal poisoning were preventable.
Diseases that affected the blood, liver and nervous system were usually the result of industrial spills or confined-space accidents.
There are some 48 occupational diseases rostered.
Socso manager of the medical and rehabilitation unit Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said there were thousands of workers who sought treatment for asthma alone.
For every 10 asthma cases, he said, three could be job-related. He said there could also be more workers suffering from musculo-skeletal disorders and skin diseases linked to occupational hazards.
In view of this, Fong wants Socso panel doctors to be trained in occupational health by the end of the year. Until today, only 650 have attended an introductory course and occupational health training at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and in varsities offering the programme. "I intend to discuss this issue with the Malaysian Medical Association. I need MMA’s co-operation in this matter."