The contributions of Sustainable Healthy Workplaces to the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the contributions of two corporate, non-health, transnational, Sustainable Healthy Workplaces (SHWs) to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS) in Nigeria. The research questions in this study sought to determine the contributions made by SHWs to combating malaria and ‘other diseases’ and ensuring gender equality in health at work, thus ascertaining the contributions of the studied organisations to the MDGs 3 and 6 in Nigeria. A qualitative, eclectic case study of two SHWs was carried out. Data were sourced through documentary analysis and the use of semi-structured interviews, with 22 and 13 purposive sampled participants at organisations ‘A’ and ‘B’ respectively. Also, descriptive and thematic data analyses were utilised for numerical and textual data respectively, and these analyses were then compared and interpreted. The results showed that both organisations contributed to the achievement of the two MDGs studied with policies and practices that were available but inadequate. Both implemented relevant and gender-specific policies but conducted inadequate workplace health promotion programmes (WHPPs). Organisation ‘B’ had basic structural facilities to promote healthy lifestyle choices, which were missing at organisation ‘A’. Given this, there was no record of significant levels of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at organisation ‘B’, unlike organisation ‘A’ with its remarkable record. A decline in reported cases of malaria (a communicable disease - CD) occurred throughout the study period at organisation ‘A’, with the highest recorded in 2012 (25.4%) and the lowest in 2014 (21.8%). No pattern was observed at organisation ‘B’ but the highest incidence of this disease was recorded in 2014 (75.6%) and the lowest in 2013 (30.7%). At organisation ‘A’, there was a steady rise in sickness absences among male employees, contrary to the documented decline among that of female employees. No consistent pattern was observed regarding sickness absence for gender categories at organisation ‘B’. Deaths were recorded at organisation ‘A’ during the study period, except in 2014 when there were none. Organisation ‘B’ had no recorded mortality throughout the entire study period. The findings from the literature review, using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and Clearinghouse for Labour Evaluation and Research (CLEAR) checklists for quality assessment of the selected articles, showed that any effort aimed at preventing and combating diseases while ensuring gender equality in health among the workforce had a positive impact on stakeholders. This led to the most important element of the social and economic development agenda, including the MDGs, being addressed. Additionally, findings from organisations ‘A’ and ‘B’ revealed positive, but inadequate, and varied contributions to the attainment of the MDGs, with better performance recorded at organisation ‘B’. This implied the need for these organisations to have done more in order to make a better contribution to the MDGs. The MDGs had 2015 as their target date, but they have now been replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence, the lesson learnt from MDGs can be transferred to the implementation of the current SDGs, which are termed the ‘Global Goals’.