The Discipline of Occupational and Environmental Health under UKZN’s School of Nursing and Public Health hosted the 7th International Triennial Conference on the History of Occupational and Environmental Health – the first on African soil and the first held in person following COVID-19.
Occupations and work environments are critical determinants of health and wellbeing – especially in the long-term – and the seriousness of this issue is what attracted delegates from across the globe to the conference.
The event was held under the auspices of the International Commission on Occupational Health’s Scientific Committee on the History of Prevention of Occupational and Environmental Diseases, with Professor Rajen Naidoo, who heads UKZN’s Discipline of Occupational and Environmental Health, as conference Chair.
‘To encourage participation from continental Africa, young academics and researchers were provided with conference registration waivers, while emerging South African researchers were supported with fee remissions. We wanted to ensure that these young scientists were exposed to the best global researchers in the field,’ Naidoo said.
In her opening remarks, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Health Sciences (CHS) Professor Busisiwe Ncama, said understanding history and learning from the past was crucial for society to progress. Ncama said South Africa, with its complex history, provided a compelling backdrop for exploring the lessons that could be extracted.
She said the conference theme: Occupational and Environmental Health: At the Crossroads of Migrations, Empires and Social Movement, was particularly relevant in South Africa as the country’s historical development was characterised by the mass movements of people, from the Nguni through to the Zulus, through to the worker migrants from within South Africa, southern Africa, and Europe to mines, and from India to the country’s sugarcane fields.
‘We have experienced the empires of the indigenous people such as the proud amaZulu heritage through to the colonial empires of the Dutch and English. But we have also seen how social movements bring about change – from our liberation movement for political change to organisations of civil society, trade unions and activist movements, ensuring a new society emerges,’ said Ncama.
‘Concentrating specifically on the impact of occupational and environmental health on communities is an essential focus for this conference. By examining the historical context of workers’ and communities’ health, we can identify patterns, challenges, and possible solutions to safeguard their wellbeing. It’s encouraging to see that this event aims to scientifically unpack these issues in a systematic manner.
‘I believe that by delving into the experiences of workers and communities exposed to various hazards, we can gain valuable insights to enhance health protection measures and avoid repeating past mistakes. The knowledge shared during this conference has the potential to contribute significantly to building a stronger and more harmonious society,’ Ncama said.
The conference commenced with a pre-conference method training workshop, together with a special cultural tour held in partnership with eThekwini Municipality, during which delegates visited Durban’s historic KwaMuhle Museum, the Old Court House as well as the 1860 Heritage Centre.
The delegates were welcomed by the Head of eThekwini Municipality’s International and Governance Relations department, Mr Eric Apelgren, on behalf of the eThekwini Mayor, at a gala dinner that was held at uShaka Marine World – the seventh largest aquarium in the world – as part of the conference’s historic experience.
Apelgren called occupational and safety specialists’ unsung heroes; emphasising their importance when the city was recovering from the COVID-19 outbreak, with many jobs and breadwinners lost. He said climate change, torrential rain, and the recent KZN floods posed a severe challenge to the city’s occupations.
The conference’s scientific programme focused on the migration of workers in various time periods, the interconnections of empires, public health in post-colonial periods, and the role of trade unions and other social movements in occupational and environmental health. Various speakers addressed the evolution of occupational and environmental health in Africa as well as globally.
Topics ranged from Occupational Lung Diseases in Mineworkers in South Africa; to Informal work, Migrant Workers and Women; and Making History: New Epidemics, Old Exposures.
The Chair of the Scientific Committee, Professor Paul Blanc, commended UKZN for being an outstanding host of the conference.
- Visit the conference website: https://icohhistory.ukzn.ac.za/
Words and photographs: Lunga Memela