MMA lauds comprehensive medical screening arranged for foreign workers
KUCHING: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) supports the call by Ministry of Health (MoH) for foreign workers to undergo additional screenings for communicable diseases and drug abuse.
The ministry’s comprehensive medical screening programme for foreign workers and the additional screenings include checks for filariasis, methamphetamine and Hepatitis C.
“Foreign workers receiving a positive test result from any of the screenings performed under the comprehensive medical screening will be certified unsuitable for employment in Malaysia and the nearest district health office notified via the MoH e-notification system,” the association’s president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said in a statement.
Citing statistics, Dr Azizan said 6,413 cases of tuberculosis, 3,347 cases of Hepatitis B, 960 cases of syphilis, 447 cases of HIV/AIDS, 22 cases of malaria and three cases of leprosy were detected among foreign workers in the country last year.
“Additionally, from Dec 16, 2023 to Jan 23, 2024, the three additional tests detected 215 cases of filariasis, 229 Hepatitis C cases and 213 methamphetamine cases among foreign workers,” she said.
She also supported the ministry’s policy to include medical examination, chest Xray and blood test in the medical screening programme for foreign workers.
“We also urge the Human Resources Ministry to remind countries supplying workers of their responsibility to ensure worker medical screening is carried out as required, before allowing them to depart to Malaysia.”
Workers detected with any communicable disease like tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, malaria and leprosy in their country of origin before departure to Malaysia or upon entry to Malaysia must be isolated for the prescribed period until the next course of action is taken by the authorities, she added.
However, Dr Azizan also pointed out there seemed to be a lack of compliance with the requirements in the processing of applications for foreign workers in Malaysia.
“The government should consider the suggestion to allow employers to deal directly with manpower suppliers in the various countries for their human resources needs as there have been numerous issues arising from the involvement of middlemen.
“Employers should also be given the freedom to choose their medical provider for the pre-departure medical screening of foreign workers,” she said, warning that the increase in communicable diseases must not be taken lightly as it could pose a threat to both public health and the nation’s productivity.