Abstract:
The Employment Bureau for Africa (TEBA Limited) established in 1902 recruits
mineworkers from Lesotho and neighbouring countries for South African mines.
Information on mineworkers’ health and welfare from Lesotho is scarce.
Tuberculosis prevalence ranged between 159/100000 and 506/100000 from 1991 to 2001
in Lesotho.
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the proportion of mineworkers affected
with tuberculosis among adult male patients attending TB clinics in Maseru District’s
three main hospitals and ascertain compensation of mineworkers affected by occupational
lung disease including tuberculosis.
A structured questionnaire was used to interview 421 adult male TB patients at Queen
Elizabeth II, Saint Joseph and Scott hospitals in Maseru.
38.5% of participants in the study were mineworkers (former and active) in South
African mines. Among these mineworkers, 70.4% were employed in goldmines. 30.7%
of mineworkers were considered eligible for compensation. 42 mineworkers received
compensation for previous and current tuberculosis whilst 33 mineworkers had not.
