The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, in collaboration with six hospitals in Vientiane Capital, signed an agreement on 9 August to establish occupational and health check-up centers aimed at preventing work-related injuries and illnesses.
The initiative will focus on managing these newly established centers to ensure they offer comprehensive health assessments for both local and foreign workers.
The primary goal is to create a platform that enables the public and private sectors to provide regular health checks, in compliance with existing legislation, and to assess the risk factors that workers face in their respective environments.
A new centralized database of workers’ job histories will play a crucial role in analyzing workplace-related illnesses and deaths, as well as in identifying occupational diseases linked to poor working conditions. The information gathered will be crucial in helping authorities and employers improve labor safety and health standards.
Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Phongsaysack Inthalavong emphasized the responsibility of employers to ensure that their workers undergo health checks at least once a year.
According to Phongsaysack, for those employed in hazardous environments, checks are required twice a year. The results of these health assessments will be reported to the Department of Labor Management through an electronic reporting system.
In addition to regular check-ups, the centers will monitor the health status of workers exposed to potential health hazards at periodic intervals. They will also certify workers’ fitness to return to work after a prolonged absence due to health reasons and determine the conditions under which employees with illnesses, injuries, or disabilities can continue working safely.
