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The Committee notes the Government's last report. It also notes the comments made by the Single Confederation of Honduran Workers, as well as the Government's reply to those comments.

In reply to the earlier comments of the Committee, the Government indicates that the system of notification of occupational diseases still suffers from the same difficulties as described in 1997, that is: technical deficiencies in the communication network which does not enable regional centres to transfer information quickly and with complete confidentiality; the absence of a legal obligation to notify occupational diseases, and a lack of qualified staff enabling diagnoses to be confirmed. The Government adds that it does not have information on the practical application of the Convention available, since the building housing the Labour and Social Security Secretariat was damaged by Hurricane Mitch, destroying a large part of the statistical registers and legal and medical files kept by the occupational health services and by the labour inspectorate.

The Committee takes note of this information and of that regarding the activities undertaken by the occupational safety and health services. The Committee hopes that the Government will be able to indicate in its next report measures that have been taken with a view to improving the system of notification of occupational diseases. In this connection, it reminds the Government of the possibility of seeking the ILO's technical assistance. In addition, the Committee requests the Government to supply in its next report detailed information on the practical application of the Convention in conformity with Part V of the report form.

[The Government is requested to report in detail in 2002.]