Health Issues India

Every year, 2.78 million people die because of diseases or accidents incurred in the workplace. In India, where eighty percent of labour occurs in unsafe environments, one of the major occupational hazards is silicosis. Nationwide, between three and ten million workers are at risk of developing the disease. For workers in Rajasthan, the toll is acutely being felt. For many labourers, the opportunities to earn a living are limited. Many turn to sandstone quarries and mines where they are vulnerable to long-term exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS), a fine dust which can penetrate deep into the lungs and lead to health complications including silicosis. The disease is a form of pneumoconiosis, a type of lung disease hallmarked by fibrosis. It is irreversible - as workers who are affected and their relatives are painfully aware.  "The combination of illegal mines and cases going under the radar means that comprehensive data as to Rajasthan’s silicosis burden is far … Read Full Article about Rajasthan: Chief Minister speaks up on silicosis