Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat says Fomema is stringent in its medical examination.
The maid’s are here to take care of our children and elderly parents, to cook and to clean. But some of these foreign domestic help may be doing us more harm than good
Ministry of Health statistics show that the workers had TB (16,697), hepatitis B (10,953) and syphilis (2,824).
Those who had HIV/AIDS numbered 683 while 147 were found to be suffering from psychiatric problems.
In addition, 2,329 workers were found to be pregnant.
The screening of Fomema was introduced three years ago after health officials here discovered that many foreign workers had infectious diseases although they had been declared medically fit by health authorities in their country.
That’s why there are an increasing trend of employers sending their maids for second-opinion medical tests because they do not trust the screening done in the country of origin and by Malaysian authorities.
some clinics approved medical reports for a fee.”This is why we have so many cases of infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, which had been eradicated or reduced decades ago.”
Health Ministry deputy director-general Datuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat said action would be taken against any doctor found to have falsified medical results. 39 of the 3,432 Fomema panel clinics were suspended last year for various reasons, including the failure of doctors to examine foreign workers in their clinics and to verify the identity of foreign workers.
The ministry introduced a new system where every foreign worker had to undergo a second medical test within one month of entering the country. This test is repeated at the end of their first and second years of service. Under this screening system, which is done at Fomema-appointed clinics, the worker is tested for infectious diseases such as HIV, TB and hepatitis. They are also screened for hypertension, heart disease, asthma and diabetes
“This has helped to weed out the problem of forged medical documents.”
Dr Ramlee said Fomema was stringent in its medical examination and would not accept any foreign worker who had even the slightest hint of carrying a highly-infectious disease.
“Even someone whose X-ray screenings reveal old TB scars and who does not appear to have the disease will be rejected. We cannot take chances as the disease can flare up again.”
