Saatja: "Info - SOM" <
[email protected]>
Saaja: "info - MKM" <
[email protected]>
Teema: FW: FAO the WHO World Health Assembly 2026 delegation
Kuupäev: 2026-04-28 06:40
Tere,
Edastame tulenevalt kuuluvusele Majandus- ja
Kommunikatsiooniministeeriumile.
Lugupidamisega
Dokumendihaldus
Sotsiaalministeerium
From: Nick Pahl <
[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2026 5:18 PM
To: Nick Pahl <
[email protected]>
Subject: FAO the WHO World Health Assembly 2026 delegation
Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga.
Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.
The Global Occupational Safety and Health (GOSH) Coalition is urging
delegates to the WHO World Health Assembly to ensure that worker health is
enshrined in its strategy and plans. While the WHO continues to meet
pressing global health challenges, changes in its strategic focus and budget
constraints have led to reduced attention on worker health. This pull back
on its commitments is a critical gap in its global health leadership, when
worker health is fundamental to global health and sustainable development.
* There are an estimated 2.9 million deaths annually due to work-related
causes, with a nearly 12% increase in work-related mortality since 2000.
* Over 395 million workers sustain non-fatal occupational injuries annually,
with around 160 million new cases of work-related diseases occurring each
year.
* The global cost of poor occupational safety and health is 3.94%- 5.8% of
the world's GDP, equivalent to USD $2.8- $3 trillion annually.
In a letter sent to the WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus, attached, the GOSH Coalition called for:
1. A continuation of the Health in the World of Work Network
2. A Workers' Health Global Plan of Action to reinforce and strengthen
global standards, prevent occupational illnesses and injuries, protect and
promote the health of all workers globally and address emerging risks, such
as those associated with climate change, digitalization and psychosocial
hazards
3. Continuation of the Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for
Occupational Health, with a view to expanding this network with non-state
actors
Marianne Levitsky of Workplace Health Without Borders (WHWB) and Chair of
the GOSH Coalition says: “Member states and the WHO should commit to a
resolution and framework that ensures the global protection and promotion of
workers’ health. Strengthened collaboration and coordination of WHO and the
International Labour Organization to stimulate intersectoral partnerships
between health and labour ministries are also needed”. Dr Richard Heron,
Co-Chair of the International Occupational Medicine Society Collaborative
(IOMSC) says: “Investing in a healthy workplace is one of the smartest
economic decisions Governments can make: it pays back many times through
lower absenteeism, increased productivity, and a more resilient workforce”.
The Global Occupational Safety and Health Coalition was formed after the
34th International Congress on Occupational Health in Marrakesh, Morocco in
May 2024, the Global Occupational Safety and Health (GOSH) Coalition now has
19 participating organisations. It aims to improve occupational safety and
health capacity and calls for basic occupational health services for all
workers, including informal workers, better protection for young workers,
and protection for all workers from the adverse effects of climate change.
Members of the Coalition include the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM);
the International Occupational Medicine Society Collaborative (IOMSC);
Workplace Health Without Borders (WHWB); the Institution of Occupational
Safety and Health (IOSH); the American Industrial Hygiene Association
(AIHA); the International Ergonomics Association (IEA); the International
Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA); and OSH Africa.
We would appreciate it if this e mail was acknowledged.
Best wishes
Nick Pahl | CEO
SOM
Supporting occupational health and wellbeing professionals
2 St Andrews Place | London | NW1 4LB | Tel: 0203 910 4537
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, DG
World Health Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
and Delegates to the 79th World Health Assembly,
March 31, 2026
Dear Dr. Tedros and Delegates:
As senior leaders of global and national occupational health and safety organisations, we
call on you to make concrete commitments towards occupational safety and health. We
recognize the resource limitations that face WHO, but it is critical that the WHO lend its voice
to making workplace health a global priority. We urge WHO and all delegates to the World
Health Assembly (WHA) to ensure that worker health is enshrined in WHO’s future strategy
and plans.
There are an estimated 2.9 million deaths annually due to work-related causes, with a
nearly 12% increase in work-related mortality since 2000. Over 395 million workers sustain
non-fatal occupational injuries annually, with around 160 million new cases of work-related
diseases occurring each year. The global cost of poor occupational safety and health is
3.94%- 5.8% of the world's GDP, equivalent to USD $2.8- $3 trillion annually.
International and professional principles and standards, from ILO Conventions and the ILO
Global Strategy on OSH1, to the WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 14)2,
underscore the importance of workplace health. There are specific parts of the WHO
Programme of Work which commit WHO to action on occupational and workplace health, yet
these are not reflected in the six strategic priorities of the Programme. As well, the Global
Plan of Action on Physical Activity3 references workplaces as a key setting for physical
activity and reduction of sedentary behaviour, as factors that will contribute to increased
productivity and reduction in injuries and absenteeism.
To ensure that workplace health gets the attention it warrants, we call for:
1. A Continuation of the Health in the World of Work Network
In 2021, WHO launched the Health in the World of Work Network, which brought together
key stakeholders for the purposes of strengthening collaboration and knowledge sharing to
build healthy, safe and resilient workplaces for all workers. We call for this network to
continue4.
2. A new Workers' Health Global Plan of Action
Following the GPA 2008–20175, a new plan of action would:
• Reflect the ILO’s recognition of a safe and healthy working environment as a
fundamental principle and right at work, and ensure WHO efforts reinforce and
strengthen global standards
• Prevent occupational illnesses and injuries, and protect and promote the health of all
workers globally
• Address emerging risks, such as those associated with climate change, digitalization and
psychosocial hazards
• Integrate occupational health into public health systems
1
https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025-01/OSH_Globaly_Strategy_r6.pdf
2
https://www.who.int/about/general-programme-of-work/fourteenth
3
https://www.who.int/initiatives/gappa
4
https://www.who.int/groups/who-health-in-the-world-of-work-network#reports
5
https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/wha60/a60_r26-en.pdf,
1 of 3
• Expand access to occupational health services to all workers, including migrant workers
and those in the informal sector.
The WHA must lead to concrete commitments, actions, and accountability, an opportunity for
commitment between countries on shared principles and standards for occupational health
and safety. We hope Member States and the WHO seize this opportunity and commit to a
resolution and framework that ensures the protection and promotion of workers globally.
3. Continuation of the Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for
Occupational Health, with a view to expanding this network with non-state actors
Finally, we call for strengthened collaboration and coordination of WHO and ILO at the
global, regional and country levels to stimulate intersectoral partnerships between health and
labour ministries.
Thank you very much for your commitment to global health. All signatories are committed to
safe and healthy working environments and are here to support and work with WHO to
provide technical expertise on occupational safety and health.
Sincerely,
Nick Pahl, SOM CEO
2 St Andrews Place | London | NW1 4LB | Tel: 0203 910 4537
[email protected]
On behalf of the following endorsing organisations:
2 of 3
The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM)
IOMSC (International Occupational Medicine Society
Collaborative)
WHWB (Workplace Health Without Borders)
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
International Ergonomics Association (IEA)
International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA)
OSHAfrica
3 of 3
Addendum: April 25, 2026
Additional endorsements of the March 31, 2026 letter to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
1. Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) (USA)
2. National Safety Council (USA)
3. Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA)
(USA)
4. South African Society of Occupational Medicine (SASOM)
5. Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH)