Looking after our farmers for a healthy economy

The warmth and hospitality of the region’s farming folk was clearly demonstrated at the annual Val Boeredag, recently hosted in Waterval. Resolution Health Medical Scheme (Resolution Health) was there to celebrate agriculture and the strong farming families who put food on the nation’s tables daily.

“The Val Boeredag presented the ideal opportunity to ‘kuier’ with Mpumalanga farmers and get to know more about them and their health concerns,” says Principal Officer of Resolution Health, Mark Arnold.

Resolution Health also used the day as a key opportunity to understand how conscientious the local community is about their health.

It was interesting to note that in a poll taken on the day, two-thirds indicated they could not remember when last they had had their blood pressure checked.

“There are a number of health conditions that can arise from high blood pressure, including cardiovascular diseases, stroke, eyesight problems and kidney damage. The concern is that if people in farming communities are not having basic health screening regularly, they may not be adequately looking after their health or be aware of preventable medical problems that they may be facing,” Arnold observes.

The same poll also revealed that 63 per cent of respondents did not believe their employer provided suitable and sufficient healthcare benefits.

“Making sure that your workers have adequate access to healthcare cover is one of the easiest ways to boosting productivity, reducing absenteeism rates and ensuring a healthier workforce in general. When considering that the South African economy loses approximately R55.2 billion to sick leave per year and R16 billion to ‘presenteeism’, the business case, and eventual impact on the farmer’s bottom line, becomes clear,” says Arnold.

Presenteeism, or working while sick, reduces productivity and can further exacerbate illness. In addition, a sickly worker may transmit infection to his or her colleagues, further compounding the problem of lost productivity.

Arnold says that the company’s representatives at the Val Boeredag were eager to discuss health and wellbeing issues of relevance to agriculture. “The health of farmers and farm workers is a vital aspect of maximising productivity of farms and a proactive, year-round approach is of particular relevance when considering the extreme environmental and physical demands placed on the health of the farmworker.”

“The health of farming communities is of special significance because without farmers, we would not have sufficient food and our country’s economy would suffer. Agriculture in South Africa contributes around 10 per cent of formal employment and, according to the statistics division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT), South Africa is one of the world’s largest producers of maize, chicory roots and fibre crops, further highlighting the sector’s importance.

“We know that a farmer’s work is never complete, and we consider it our privilege to help people in the agricultural sector to safeguard their health so that they are in the best possible position to meet the demands of the next season,” Arnold concludes.

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