Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Aït Messaoudène Puts Occupational Health at the Centre of Algeria’s Labour Policy
Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Aït Messaoudène on Tuesday took part in the national commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, held at the Family Centre of the National Social Insurance Fund for Wage Earners in Algiers, at the invitation of Labour Minister Abdelhak Saihi.
The event brought together parliamentary and institutional officials, union leadership, employers’ representatives, and delegates from international and regional organisations accredited in Algeria.
In his address, Aït Messaoudène said the occasion underscored the need to reinforce prevention and embed occupational safety as a structural component of economic and social policy, describing workers as a central pillar of development.
He said occupational medicine has become a strategic tool in addressing chronic and work-related diseases, noting its role in reducing premature mortality and long-term health costs.
The minister stressed the importance of early detection of occupational illnesses, including cancers linked to workplace exposure, through systematic monitoring of at-risk workers and tighter surveillance of hazardous substances, alongside improvements in working conditions.
He highlighted the role of the health sector in setting exposure standards and strengthening regulatory oversight of toxic risks, in coordination with labour, environment, energy and industry authorities.
Aït Messaoudène said occupational health has been elevated to a strategic priority within the ministry’s agenda, supported by expanded prevention frameworks and updated regulatory instruments.
He cited Executive Decree 26-143 of 30 March 2026 on protection against exposure to lead and its compounds, describing it as a corrective step that provides a clearer framework for occupational physicians and strengthens preventive enforcement.
The minister also referred to ongoing work on a 2026–2030 national strategic plan for occupational health, aimed at consolidating an integrated framework adapted to changes in the labour market, improving coordination across sectors, and upgrading monitoring systems and legal instruments.
He said progress depends on close coordination with the Labour Ministry, which he described as a core partner in strengthening prevention systems, improving workplace inspection and reinforcing medical oversight of workers.
Aït Messaoudène concluded that investment in occupational health is an investment in economic resilience, arguing that prevention reduces systemic costs for the state, enterprises and society, and called for stronger engagement from employers, unions and health professionals to ensure safer workplaces.
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