LAHORE, Pakistan (ILO News) – A new partnership between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Punjab Employees Social Security Institution (PESSI) will improve occupational safety and health, build institutional capacity, and promote more inclusive workplaces for health workers in Punjab, participants at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) heard today.The agreement is part of the global “Working for Health Programme” (W4H), a joint initiative of the ILO, OECD and WHO, currently being implemented in Pakistan. The programme aims to promote safer, fairer, and more inclusive workplaces in the health sector by promoting occupational safety and health, building institutional capacity, and aligning investments with national health priorities.The care economy remains highly exposed to occupational safety and health (OSH) risks, which affects the quality and availability of services — including healthcare. This partnership will help address these challenges and support frontline health workers across the province.The event, held at the PESSI Head Office in Lahore, was attended by high-level representatives from Employers Federation of Pakistan, Pakistan United workers Federation and Government of Punjab. The MoU was signed by Muhammad Ali, Commissioner PESSI and Geir Tonstol, Country Director for ILO Pakistan in the presence of Faisal Ayub Khokhar, Minister for Sports, Labour and Human Resource, Punjab.Geir Tonstol, Country Director for ILO Pakistan, said that “The ILO has a history of successful collaboration with PESSI to improve social protection measures for workers in Punjab, including extending social security coverage to vulnerable groups such as domestic workers. Building upon these achievements, we now want to expand our partnership to improve occupational safety and health standards in the healthcare sector.”Faisal Ayub Khokar, Provincial Minister for Labour & Human Resource, Punjab, said “this collaboration reflects our collective commitment to decent work, social justice, and occupational safety, in line with national priorities and international standards. With recent amendments to the PESSI Ordinance making social protection more inclusive, this agreement will strengthen institutions, promote equity, and secure a future of dignity and protection for every worker in Punjab.”hamad Ali, Commissioner PESSI stated, “Partnering with the ILO will enable us to align our healthcare facilities with international standards, strengthen occupational safety practices, and expand social protection for our workers. We are committed to ensuring that every worker—regardless of their role or setting is protected and has access to quality healthcare.”ESSI, an autonomous institution established under the Punjab Employees Social Security Ordinance (PESSO) 1965, provides comprehensive social protection to Punjab’s workforce, encompassing both employers and workers. With contributions amounting to Rs. 30 billion annually, PESSI covers over 1.2 million secured workers and 7.4 million dependents, representing 95,881 registered establishments across the province. Its extensive healthcare network includes 22 hospitals, collectively serving over 8.5 million patients every year, elaborated commissioner PESSI
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