Assessing access to primary healthcare for female garment workers in Bangalore, India

The garment industry is the most globalized industry in the world. Garment manufacturing factories are generally congested and inadequately ventilated. The air is filled with dust, toxic fumes, fiber particles and other harmful substances inhaled by unmasked workers in an overcrowded room with no exhaust fans; these factories are breeding grounds for respiratory diseases. In addition to occupational illnesses, women, who make up over 95% of the garment industry workforce in India, endure occupation related gynecological health issues. Women of reproductive age are vulnerable to abortions and fetal malformations from exposure to toxic chemicals in the work place. Menstrual irregularities and urinary tract infections are exacerbated due to insufficient bathroom breaks. Female garment workers often move to cities like Bangalore from rural areas and lack social support systems and access to primary health care. Thus, a workplace clinic that provides both injury patch ups and primary health care to garment workers may result in healthier workers and an increase in productivity thus an increase in profits. The proposed research aims to identify: the current standard of care, perspectives on health practice and actual health practice behaviours in female garment workers from rural Karnataka, India from a health care access and delivery perspective. As well, we would like to determine: what a primary health care facility (workplace clinic) within the workplace would encompass, how it will function, who it will staff and how it will be funded. The long-term objective is to create policy changes to workplace conditions and requirements at ILO. As well as to inform key stake holders such as brand-name retailers to put pressure on garment manufacturers to make workplace clinics an industry standard. As consumers of international garment production, it is essential that we understand the garment worker population and serve to improve their access to quality primary healthcare.