At SCSST Congress: Experts urged to develop practical workplace safety solutions for low-resource settings.

The gathering was aimed equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to strengthen national occupational safety and health systems, improve workplace risk prevention and extend protection to workers operating in resource-constrained environments.

It was held under the theme: “The Practice of Occupational Safety and Health in Low-Resource Settings”.

It was attended by occupational health experts, policymakers, employers, workers, researchers and representatives of professional organisations from more than 20 countries.

At the opening ceremony, on Tuesday, speakers stressed that limited financial and technical resources should not be used to justify preventable workplace accidents, occupational diseases and deaths.

Instead, they called for stronger prevention strategies, greater collaboration among stakeholders and innovative approaches adapted to the realities of African countries.

Douala's City First Deputy Mayor, Dr Sorel Geremi, in his welcome remarks, described the congress as an important opportunity to reflect on occupational safety challenges, exchange experiences and propose solutions suited to local conditions.

He said Cameroon's economic growth, demographic expansion and diversity of industrial and commercial activities had increased the importance of protecting workers against occupational hazards.

According to him, workplace safety and health should not be regarded as a luxury reserved for companies with substantial financial resources, but as a fundamental right of every worker, regardless of the sector in which they operate.

He called for collective responsibility in making workplace safety and health an integral part of working life, particularly in environments where resources are limited.

SCSST seeks practical solutions

In his address, the President of SCSST, Dr Silvère Kaptué, said the congress represented another milestone in the organisation's efforts to promote occupational safety and health in Cameroon.

He said this year's gathering was a demonstration of the growing commitment to workplace prevention, bringing together government officials, municipal authorities, academics, business leaders and actors in the informal economy.

Dr Kaptué recalled that the society had spent 17 years promoting scientific knowledge, raising awareness and working with institutions to ensure that workers' health received the attention it deserved.

He said the decision to focus this year's congress on occupational safety and health in low-resource settings reflected the realities facing most African workers.

According to him, more than 80 per cent of the working population in many African countries operates in the informal economy, including small-scale artisans, metalworkers, construction workers and employees of small businesses facing financial constraints.

For the workers, access to occupational health services, protective equipment and structured risk-prevention mechanisms remains a major challenge.

Dr Kaptué argued that the lack of financial resources should not be used to excuse workplace accidents or occupational diseases.

He maintained that prevention was not simply an additional financial burden but an essential investment in human dignity, social equity and sustainable economic development.

The SCSST president also highlighted the importance of the scientific programme, which includes intensive training sessions and more than 90 scientific presentations.

He said the congress was designed to strengthen participants' knowledge of occupational safety and health governance and equip them to contribute to improving national systems.

The joint participation of the ministries responsible for labour and public health, he added, demonstrated the importance of cooperation between labour regulation and healthcare institutions in protecting workers.

Shift from treatment to prevention

On his part, The President of the Cameroon Medical Council, Dr Rodolphe Fonkoua, called for a fundamental change in the way occupational safety and health is approached in resource-constrained environments.

He added his voice to say, that a lack of resources should not be considered an inevitable cause of workplace accidents and occupational diseases.

Rather, he said, such incidents often point to shortcomings in prevention and the failure to adopt measures that could reduce risks before injuries occur.

“When you have few resources, you do not have the right to give up. You have to be more intelligent, more responsive and more relevant in your approach,” he said 

Dr Fonkoua identified three major changes needed to improve workplace safety and health. The first, he said, was a shift from curative approaches to preventive action. 

He explained that investments in protective equipment, training on safe lifting practices and adequate workplace ventilation could help prevent costly injuries and illnesses.

Such measures, he argued, would be more economical for businesses than paying for the treatment and long-term consequences of occupational diseases and workplace accidents.

His second recommendation was to move from isolated interventions towards organised systems of occupational health services.

He called for the development of shared services between companies and the use of mobile occupational health units to extend access to workers in industrial zones and agricultural areas.

According to him, even small businesses should be able to benefit from occupational health services through collaborative arrangements that reduce the cost of providing such services individually.

The third change, he advocated was a move from paper-based procedures to digital systems.

Dr Fonkoua said digital tools could improve the monitoring of workplace risks, facilitate reporting and provide early warnings that could help prevent accidents.

He stressed that limited resources should encourage the adoption of more efficient and innovative methods rather than discourage action.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3944 of Monday October 19, 2026