Singapore International Foundation

The SIF launches occupational health project to benefit blue-collar working population in Indonesia’s Riau Islands Province

4 August 2009, Batam...The health office of the Riau Islands Province has partnered the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) in a two-year project that aims to enhance the knowledge, skills and attitudes of occupational health practitioners in the province.

Supported by the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the project will be launched tomorrow (5 August). A group of specialist volunteers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will work with a core team of Indonesians to provide better health services for blue-collar workers through a wide range of areas -- from education and prevention to diagnosis and treatment.

According to the National Occupational Safety and Health Council in Indonesia, studies by the Indonesian Ministry of Health and reports from hospitals and health centers in both urban and rural areas report that Indonesian workers commonly suffer from ailments such as malnutrition, occupational asthma, skin disease and chemical poisoning.

Batam, a special economic zone in the Riau Islands Province, has approximately 250,000 blue-collar workers employed in some 3,000 factories; and a further estimated 200,000 workers on other islands within the province, chiefly Bintan and Karimun.*

According to official statistics from Batam health authorities in 2007, the most common ailment, affecting almost 20% of the population, was infection of the upper respiratory tract.

By partnering Singapore experts in occupational health, the Indonesian Ministry of Health aims to improve the province’s healthcare services to protect the health of its expanding workforce.

Mr Deddy Roslan, Section Head (Ergonomics Guidance & Evaluation), Directorate of Occupational Health, Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia explains, "Batam City is a region of industries, trade and tourism. The total population of Batam City is about 899,610 people, with 60-80% of them being workers engaged in several industries on the island and its surrounding areas. In order to ensure that the workers continue to be in a healthy, safe and productive condition, it is necessary to implement a work health and safety programme in the workplace. Unfortunately, not all the health service staff working in the companies’ clinics and in other health facilities have a (good) understanding of work health and safety. Hence it is crucial that this training activity be undertaken in Batam City and its surrounding areas, as well as in other cities within Riau Islands Province."

"Due to rapid industrialisation in the Riau Islands Province, there has been an increase in industrial accidents. At SIF, we would like to do our part in contributing to the industrialisation and economy of the Riau Islands Province," explained Mr. Aaron Ng, Director of International Volunteerism, Singapore International Foundation.

The project consists of three training frames, based in Batam, Bintan and Karimun. The training methodology will include seminars, field work, practical workplace assessments and presentations by local counterparts, and discussions of findings. Participants may also visit Singapore for a training attachment during the project span.

* Statistics from the Batam Municipal Health Office