Towards sustainable development: workers' compensation for occupational diseases and injuries in the Tanzanian social economic development

Abstract

Globally, the magnitude of work-related deaths, diseases and accidents is unacceptably high. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that approximately 6,400 people die from occupational accidents or diseases and that 860,000 people suffer from work related injuries every day. The large burden of work related deaths, diseases and injuries increases both direct and indirect costs, insurance premiums as well as decreases workers’ productivity and performance. The devastating consequences of work-related deaths, diseases and injuries on the workers and their families cannot be fully estimated. Nevertheless, the ILO estimated that the economic burden of not investing in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for prevention of work related deaths, diseases and injuries is approximately four per cent (approx. 2.8 trillion US dollars) of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per year. By implication, investing in OHS reduces social security and health care costs. In developing countries such as Tanzania; work related diseases, injuries and deaths and their associated costs are likely to increase at an alarming rate due to rapid economic developments coupled with inadequate OHS services. Tanzania became a middle-income country in July 2020 and it is currently striving towards industrialization.