Underreporting of Occupational Diseases in Latin America
Explore the issue of underreporting of occupational diseases in Latin America, its causes, consequences, and potential solutions, as well as efforts to improve workplace safety in Mexico.
Latin America has been grappling with the problem of underreporting occupational diseases. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), only five out of every 100 people identified as ill due to occupational exposure are recognized as such. Rodolfo Nava Hernandez, the coordinator of Occupational Health of the Graduate Studies Division of the Faculty of Medicine (FM) at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), revealed this alarming data, illustrating a significant public health concern.
Underreporting is not a unique feature of Latin America but is prevalent in most developing countries, including Mexico. While these nations provide occupational health and accident statistics to the International Labor Organization (ILO), there often exists a disparity between reported data and actual on-ground realities.
