KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has expressed concern over the Home Ministry’s decision to allow a one-year window for the health screening of foreign workers coming into the country.
Stressing that the 365-day window will increase the risk of infectious diseases being brought into the nation, its president Dr Koh Kar Chai called on the Human Resources Ministry to carry out the screenings as soon as the workers arrive here.
“As it is, the country is still reeling from the havoc caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. We do not need an import of other infectious diseases to cause more economic woes, which the government is trying to correct by bringing in foreign workers.”
Admitting that while Malaysia requires the manpower provided by foreign labourers, he emphasised that the need should not be fulfilled at the cost of an additional health burden to the nation.
He added that previous health screenings of foreign workers revealed cases of tuberculosis and leprosy, both of which have recorded a resurgence in the local community.
“Ignoring these other threats to the health of our population can potentially put a strain on our healthcare system if diseases go undetected and spread in the community,” he said, while also questioning whether Putrajaya had carried out engagement sessions with experts prior to the decision.
“Was proper consultation done with public health experts on this decision which can have an impact on the health of the country’s population?”
Urging the Home Ministry to reverse its decision, he also suggested reverting the duration to the previous requirement of a 30-day window or extending the period to 60 days if needed, saying private general practitioners registered with the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomema) are able to carry out the mandatory tests.
On July 13, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin announced the extension during a press conference.
However, he said workers should not take the opportunity to delay getting their medical tests done with Fomema, cautioning that this will lead to large crowds gathered at the agency towards the end of the set time frame. – The Vibes, July 18, 2022
