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| ICOH report from L Pretorius |
29th
ICOH Conference 21 27 March 2009:
CAPE TOWN
SOUTH AFRICA
SCOHN/ SASOHN Pre
conference Workshop:
The SCOHN/
SASOHN pre - conference workshop hosted by
SASOHN in Cape Town (Saturday, 21 March 2008
CAPUT, Bellville) was a huge success.
Presentations of high quality were in the order
of the day from both South African as well as
International renowned speakers. Participants
included T Bosman, T Barnard (SA) M Ratio
(Finland), B Rogers (USA), A Butchovic, V Major,
(SA) M Peurala, (Finland) S Randolph, (USA) K
Nishida (Japan) and P Silpasuwan (Thailand) Our
sincere thanks and appreciation goes to the
organizing committee, with special word of
thanks to K Michell and the National Office for
all the hard work put in. The SASOHN President
thanked all sponsors, companies who made
contributions to the day and published it as
part of the news page in Occ Health Southern
Africa.
The Finnish Association of Occ
Health Nurses turned 60 during 2008 and SCOHN/
SASOHN attendees were presented with a
publication put together to indicate the value
adding aspects of Occupational Health to the
Finnish economy, safety and health and the
larger working population this publication
send a message as to where we strategically
should focus Occupational Health in the 21
century.
The day was closed with a very
enjoyable cocktail party where all delegates
could network, relax, dance and be entertained
by the Houtbay Children Charity Orchestra, which
gave everybody to an oeh! And aha! and kept the
cameras flashing.
ICOH SC Officers
meeting: 21- 27 March 2009 (09h00 12h00)
Concurrent with the workshop took place the ICOH
SC Officers meeting for Chairperson and
secretary followed by a board meeting. Due to
the fact that Marjatta Peurala as the
chairperson of SCOHN attended the SCOHN/SASAOHN
workshop, LP attended the SC Officers meeting.
The welcoming was conducted by prof. Jorma
Rantenen, who once again brought to out
attention the mission of ICOH, in terms of
promoting Research, Ethics, Information sharing,
Training and developments opportunities ensure
Good Occ health practice takes place.
The
objectives focused on substantive priorities
that dealt with Organizational development. The
following issues to receive attention, some is
partly in place, some in process to be completed
or needs development:
1) Strengthening
Training and Education in Occupational health
Curriculum
Training material available
Training of trainers
Provision of Courses
Training in BOHS( Basic Occ health)
2)
Development of Occ Health Services globally
Global survey in progress
Introduce OHS
into ILO/WHO/EU
OHS strategies in WHO
regions( EU/PAHO)
3) Analysis of
Globalization
Risk survey
ISSA ICOH
BOOK Risk in the Modern Society- Springer
2008 published- can be ordered
Prevention
of global asbestos use and exposure/ban
4) Good Occ Health practice
General
GOHPractice guide to be developed
Format
for special DOH
Production of Special OH
guidelines
5) Ethics:
Apply
mainstream ethics in all ICOH activities
Include sanctions in the ICOH by laws
Good association practice provision
Implementation of declaration of conflict of
interest( ICOH)
Ethical clauses into all
ICIH Documents
6) Organizational
Development:
Regional structures/
activities to be grown
Networking&
organizing of National Secretaries
Collaboration with NGO allies
Links with
National Occ health Organizations.
7)
Information activities (websites):
External
information
ICOH Newsletter to go onto the
website
WEB link for SC
Slide show on
ICOH
Leaflet on ICOH
Documents in
National Language, English, French, Spanish
8) Evaluation:
Evaluation of all
actions initiated
Activities carried out
Detail reports on activities( ICOHTrienniel
report 2006 2008)
ICOH Economy
sustainable
The session was closed with a
note of thanks and a reminder that there is more
required from all to do.
Marilyn Fingerhut
then explained the following aspects to members
of SC committees:
Requirements for Scientific
committees:
Members must contact Chair /
Secretary to indicate membership to SC
Students can join 3 SC; ICOH members # and all
have voting rights
Chairs/ Sect must give
names through of who died/ retired/ inactive and
follow up on new applications
SC cannot
cancel ICOH membership of member
Encourage
SC to MOA with ILO/IOHA/WHO/ISSA
ICOH
website to link with SC( Virtual office on ICOH
website)
Contribute to ICOH newsletter
short info , for liaison with other SC and
organizations
The SC officers were divided
into 3 working groups with specific feedback on
specific issues:
Group 1:
Macro
ICOH
to complete a position paper on the effect of
the Economic recession on the health of migrant
workers and people that is been layoff
If
possible establish a database in the information
and the effects globally
Micro
Understand What and how ICOH operate
ICOH
to be more visible
Key studies of SC to be
made activities
Relevance and practical
impact
Enhance professional training - ?
what about web base training
SC to produce
practical guidelines
Define/ Develop how
OHS should look like in 5 10 years
Ethics
SC must indicate ethical statement
Ethics
to form part of each activity and Congress
Group 2:
Guidelines/ Articles must be
linked to each other
Chair/ sect to follow
up on membership/IT link
ID inactive
members- update membership list annually
SC
Draft Guidelines available
ICOH Web site(
virtual office for all forms)
Accomplishment of SC to be put on website
New Instructions for Chairpersons to be
developed
Group 3:
SC to increase
own and ICOH membership
Collaborate with
own Societies( SASOM/ IOSM/IOHA)
More
membership to be obtained from developing
countries
Visibility of ICOH to be
increased
SC research work to be publish on
ICOH website as well as future Congress info
The General Assembly (closure) of the
congress on the 27/03/09 revealed quite a number
of remarkable achievements. A number of 1163
delegates attended the conference, SA 167,
Africa 226, the same for Asia/ Japan/ Australia
and Europe the most with 794. Dr Linda Grainger
received the award for her contributions to
publish all Key note addresses in a special
edition of Occupational Health Southern Africa.
ICOH service awards were made to Ian Eddington;
Kaj Elgstrand, Peter Kirstensen, Suvi Lettinen,
Rene Mendes, Jennifer Serfontein, Ken Takahasin
for their contribution over many years as some
of them will retire shortly. A word of special
thanks went to prof. Marilyn Fingerhut, Dr Mary
Ross, and Claudina Nogueira for their
contribution to ensure that SC contributes to 62
special sessions and 89% of the poster
presentations. Extreme gratitude and
thankfulness was expressed to SASOM for hosting
the conference and making it a wonderful forum
for networking/ dialog and inspiration. (Daan
Kocks, Danie Ungerer, Dr Snyman)
The new
President was announced as Kazutaka Kogi of
Japan, with Bonnie Rogers as Vice president
(oversee SC activities) and Dr M Ross as SA
Board (SASOM) member. Congratulations to you
all.
Prof. J Rantenen indicated to the
audience that Occ health is needed more than
ever before the world is changing and thus hard
times, economically lies ahead; ICOH have to
focus short-term/ long term and vision is
required to react to new challenges and respect
the past. He appeal to all, that we should keep
together and strengthen ourselves mutually in
the difficult times
The 2009 2011 aims
needs to be focused on internal communication as
well as use of the website; training and
development; development of practical
guidelines; ethics; organizational development;
relation ship building ( IOHA/WHO/ILO/ISSA.
Increasing membership. The action plan 2009
-2011 includes to evaluate 2006- 2009; .What is
ICOH Strengths?
network, research,& design
into pro active risk assessment and control,
with core roles in harmony with Occupational
health developments, ID team key areas in
workers health)
Plan for ICOH priorities
How do we organize ICOH( rely on achievements,
develop collaboration, website,receruitment of
membership, toolkits)
Towards ICOH 2012
2015( Concerted effort by all members, target
midterm goals, communicate 3 yearly goals and
visible outputs
Work together to 2012-
2015)
The meeting was adjourned at 17h30
SCOHN Special session:
A special
session (3 hours) on Occupational Health Nursing
took place as part of the ICOH conference, and
was well attended. Again SASOHN members did us
proud with K Michell, R Jordaan, paricipating
and it set the platform for wonderful networking
opportunities.
SCOHN Business meeting:
The new SCOHN Executive for the next
triennial was elected and consists of Louwna
Pretorius (chairperson - SA) Susan Randolph
(secretary USA) Maria Rautio(vice chair
Finland) Marjatta Peurala(Treasurer co- opted)
with Kazuka Nishida (vice treasurer - Japan).The
second nomination of South Africa, T Bosman
could not be considered due to the SCOHN rules(1
delegate/ country allowed) B Rogers will act as
Ex - Officio Board member to strengthen the
liaison between the SCOHN EXCO and the ICOH
Board. (newly elected vice president, ICOH)
Bonnie Rogers provided feed back on the
results of the SCOHN research project
The
role of the OHN in a multidisciplinary team
These results will be distributed as part of the
minutes to all SCOHN members, ICOH members who
attended the business meeting.
It is proposed
that SASOHN consider putting forward a
nomination for general secretary for SA.
Work plan 2009 2011:
All ICOH members in
good standing are allowed to belong to three (3)
scientific committees your intention to join
more than one scientific committee must be send
to the chairperson & secretary of the specific
scientific committee.
The SCOHN executive
would like to facilitate a meeting at least
twice in during the next triennium 2009 2011,
with the first meeting to be held in Tokio,
Japan in 2010, during their 3rd conference on
Occupational Health Nursing.
The
collaboration between SCOHN and FOHNEU(
Federation of Occupational health nurses in the
European Union) will continue with Marjatta
Peurala in current capacity , International
Affairs Finnish Inst of OHN) as well as other
stakeholders.
Networking to strengthen
research projects. Occupational Health Nursing
Education and Training as well as Nursing
Research already indicated their willingness to
work together
The establishment of a home
page linked to the ICOH website, will now become
a reality, with developments in the secretariat
to facilitate such website.
Criteria to be
establish for the Yukiko Fund award for the best
research article/ paper/ abstract presented at
an international conference.
Work group to
be established for the SCOHN history and
research project.
(Finland)
My sincere
thanks to all, for all the messages and kind
words received on my election, this is another
tribute to SASOHN, in creating opportunities for
professional growth and development.
Regards
Louwna Pretorius
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