Migrant workers mandated to complete medical checkup in 6 months

All foreigners who have not undergone a medical check-up within a year have been asked to undergo a medical check-up within the next six months.

Principal Secretary to the President on Public Policy, Abdullah Nazim Ibrahim briefed a press conference at the President's Office at 11 am on Monday.

He shared some of the decisions taken by the Cabinet to control the disease following the resurgence of cases of Filariasis in Maldives.

Nazim said that although Maldives has controlled and eradicated many communicable diseases, such diseases are spreading again in Maldives because of foreign workers coming from countries where such diseases are still endemic.

He said the measures to be taken to address the systems:

Nazim said the pre-arrival medical check-up will be conducted at places designated by the Ministry of Health.

Filariasis was first re-discovered in Maldives in recently arrived expatriates from Bangladesh. Bangladesh is not a place where the disease has been eradicated. When asked whether he intended to suspend the permission to bring in more foreign workers from the country, Nazim said the matter had not been discussed in the Cabinet meeting held Sunday. He said the matter would be discussed at another meeting.

Filariasis was declared eradicated in 2016, and the disease has recently resurfaced in the country. The disease was identified in the island of H.Dh. Kulhudhuffushi during a health campaign targeting expatriates, held from 1 to 2 this month to mark World AIDS Day. Since then, more cases have been reported in Hulhumale and Male, bringing the total number of cases to 32.

According to the HPA, the positive results include: