%0 Journal Article
%T Beyond Stitches: Analysis of Disease Burden in a Bangladeshi RMG Factory
%A Mariam Zaman
%A Tayeb Ahmmed
%A Nabila Binte Hossain
%A S. M. Raysul Haque
%A Ariful Islam Joarder
%A Kamran ul Baset
%J Health
%P 688-702
%@ 1949-5005
%D 2024
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/health.2024.167048
%X <b>Introduction:</b> Bangladesh has experienced remarkable growth in RMG over the past 25 years. With the knitwear industry providing more than 4 million direct jobs, providing better occupational health and safety of workers remains a challenge. <b>Aim of the study:</b> The aim of the study was to analyze the disease burden of a RMG factory, and to highlight occupational health risks. <b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional study design was employed for this analysis. A 17-month data entry (January 2020 - May 2021) was gathered from the factory in-house clinic. The socio-demographic and clinical diagnosis entries of 8421 entries were analyzed. <b>Result:</b> The population of the factory workers is 5370, where 40% (2148) are female workers and 60% (3222) are male workers. The mean age of respondents is 30 years, with a SD of &#177;7 years. Among the chief complaints, the most common was vomiting (14%; 2262) fever (14%; 2247), runny nose (11%; 1842), cough (9%; 1465), and loose motion (8%; 1364). In the diagnosis categories, gastrointestinal diseases were more predominantly diagnosed (35%; 2978), followed by viral fever (21%; 1772), neurological diseases (16.5%; 1389) and musculoskeletal disorders (9%; 768). The average cost of medicine for each respondent is BDT 36. The factory covered costs of all medication for 99% (8380) of respondents. Only 0.5% (37) was referred to a tertiary hospital for further evaluation. <b>Conclusion:</b> Garments workers suffer mostly from long-term occupational health hazards. Factory owners and policy makers can contribute in various ways to improving primary healthcare options for workers.
%K RMG
%K Disease Burden
%K Work Related Disease
%K Communicable Disease
%K Occupational Safety
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=134837