Foreigners bring in communicable diseases

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Monday, Oct 28, 2013
New Straits Times
By Elvina Fernandez

KUALA LUMPUR - THE increasing number of foreign workers has been followed by a rise in the prevalence of communicable diseases, especially tuberculosis, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said three per cent of the 1.3 million legal foreign workers had failed health screenings locally and were sent back to their countries.

"The country imports communicable diseases when we bring in foreign workers.

"This is why we need to ensure foreign labour are brought in legally to prevent diseases crossing boundaries when we open our borders," he said after launching the Foreign Workers Medical and Chest X-ray Examination seminar here, yesterday.

In 2008, the number of registered foreign workers in the country stood at 1,381,601, decreasing to 1,021,546 workers in 2009, further dropping to 951,943 workers in 2010 and 935,043 workers in 2011.

Last year, the number of registered foreign workers increased to 1,361,229 because of the 6P amnesty programme for illegals in the country.

Dr Subramaniam said the main reasons behind the unsuitability of foreign workers employment last year were communicable diseases at 75 per cent, chronic diseases (17 per cent), drug usage (four per cent) and also pregnancy at four per cent.

"From 2008 to 2012, most of the unfit foreign workers were suspected of having tuberculosis followed by Hepatitis B, Syphilis, HIV, malaria and leprosy."

He said most of the unfit foreign workers were from Indonesia, followed by Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Legal foreign workers will have to undergo a two stage health screening -- in their home country before leaving for Malaysia and another one upon arrival.


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