Domestic workers on vacation are now urged to undergo medical screening prior their return to work in Kuwait, as shared in a report by the Gulf News.
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The General Department for Resident Affairs at the Interior Ministry appealed to agencies and employers of domestic workers to have their employees undergo medical screening to alleviate fears of them being carriers of contagious diseases such as hepatitis, TB, and AIDS, among others.
Domestic Helpers Must Undergo Medical Tests upon Return for Work in Kuwait
It must be noted, however, that the directive from the department mainly applies to workers from certain countries identified in the Interior ministry’s list.
Here are the 41 countries from where returning domestic helpers are required to undergo medical screening upon their return to work in Kuwait:
- Angola,
- Bangladesh,
- Benin,
- Burkina Faso,
- Cameroon,
- Central Africa,
- Chad,
- Congo,
- Côte d’Ivoire,
- Democratic
- Djibouti,
- Eritrea,
- Ethiopia,
- Gambia,
- Ghana
- Guinea Bissau,
- Guinea,
- India,
- Kenya,
- Madagascar
- Malawi,
- Mali,
- Myanmar,
- Namibia,
- Nepal,
- Niger,
- Nigeria,
- Philippines,
- Republic of the Congo,
- Senegal,
- Sierra Leone,
- Somalia,
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka,
- Sudan,
- Tanzania,
- Thailand,
- Togo,
- Uganda,
- Zambia,
- Zimbabwe
And while certain diseases (i.e. TB and AIDS) are more prevalent in certain countries than others, the ministry’s directive would be more beneficial than not for all parties involved. This is owing to the fact that even as frequent flyers are required to undergo medical screening, so should returning employees especially those from countries whose health legislation are not as solidly defined compared to others.
As of present, foreign labour comprises 70% of the country’s overall population of 4.3 million. Majority of domestic workers are recruited from India and the Philippines. Kuwait has also been working on diversifying its source countries for recruitment to ensure a steady flow of workers into the country.
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