The first Technical Working Group Meeting on Occupational Cancer was jointly organised on the 13th December 2019 by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM) and the Malaysian Society of Occupational Safety and Health (MSOSH). The TWG also included representatives from Academy of Occupational & Environmental Medicine Malaysia, Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Malaysia, University of Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), the Social Security Organization (SOCSO), the Occupational Safety & Health Unit of Hospital Kuala Lumpur and the Ministry of Health Malaysia.
Prof Victor Hoe was invited to be part of the team to share his experience in Occupational Health. The meeting was initiated as there were a limited number of occupational cancer notified to DOSH or being compensated by SOCSO over the past few years. Although, the burden of occupational cancer has been estimated to be much higher based on the occupational hazards exposure in the country.
The TWG identified a few main issues; e.g., recognising occupational cancer, notification of occupational cancer, communication with workers, patients and healthcare practitioners; these issues will be further look in to in future meetings. The meeting is the first step in mapping future directions towards reducing the burden of occupational cancer in this country.
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