The Minister of Health, Prof.C.O.Onyebuchi Chukwu disclosed this in Abuja  at a Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the 2014 World Day for Safety and Health at work.

The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr.Linus Awute stated that in line with the Nigerian Transformation Agenda and the Federal Ministry of Health’s Strategic Health Development Plan, occupational Health and Safety is presently undergoing some reforms.

He stressed that these reforms may eventually position occupational health services to effectively and efficiently address most of the challenges being noticed presently.

He noted that over the years, the issue of occupational health and safety has been down played with little or no attention being focused on this very important aspect of our lives thereby impacting negatively towards the safety, welfare and healthy wellbeing of Nigerians workers.

He cited that Health workers work day and night caring for the sick and the injured while they themselves are exposed to certain risks but pay less attention to them.

He explained that Occupational Health service is a service established in or near a place of employment for the purpose of protecting the workers against any health hazard, which may arise as a result of their work or the condition in which work is carried out and also contributing towards the physical, social and mental adjustments in particular by the adaption of the work to the worker and the assignment to jobs which they are suited.

Prof. Chukwu said that available data show that occupational Health Service (OHS) is available to only 10-15% of workers worldwide adding that this service is not available in most companies, clinics, retainer hospitals and Health facilities that provide health services to the workers.

He said that workers in Nigeria form above 49% of the total population and only 5-10% of these workers, who are the greatest assets of the nation, have access tom occupational Health Service in spite of an en... need at all work places.

According to  the International Labour Organisation(ILO) and the World Health Organisation(WHO)estimated that about1.2million work related deaths,250 million accidents and 160 million work-related diseases occur worldwide each year and that deaths and injuries take a particularly heavy toll in developing countries.

He stressed that occupational diseases have long latency periods from exposure to manifestation pointing out that early access to occupational health services may help detect the condition before it gets too late as they are mostly incurable beyond this stage.

He said that it was in view of these and many other factors that 28th day of April was set aside annually as World Day for Safety and Health at Work as an integral part of the global strategy on Occupational Safety and Health by ILO and other stakeholders to promote and protect the health of workers as well as put in place effective preventive measures to combat work place hazards