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Issue No 48, August 2007 |
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New law concerning medical check-ups for expatriates to be in place from January 008
According to reports released recently quoting Dr. Ali bin Shukur, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Health
(MoH), an amended federal law on medical check-ups for expatriate labor force that ensures authenticity of medical fitness certificate, will be enacted from January 2008.
The reports quote the Under-Secretary further as follows: The MoH has revised and introduced changes to the existing federal law on medical check-ups for foreign labor force to further control the process and ensure its efficacy.
The amended law, which would be enforced in January
2008, would specify the authorities entitled to conduct the medical tests, and the needed technical and administrative conditions health facilities must obtain to carry out the required health examinations.
The law has been revised and amended because it deals with a sensitive issue of examining expatriate labor force for infectious diseases. If all measures and procedures were not properly put in place, it may pave the way for importing epidemics into the countr y.
Presently, the expatriate labor force is required to undergo medical tests for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis and infectious diseases. The medical fitness certificate is a prerequisite for expatriates to get a visa. |
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Among other things, the law stipulates setting up a committee inside the MoH to oversee rules and regulations pertaining to medical check-ups with the aim of imposing stricter control on the whole process. The law involves local health authorities in the country to join hands in monitoring and regulating tests procedures across the country, and issuing authenticated medical fitness certificate.
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