MANILA, Philippines – Nineteen overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for various countries in the Middle East were found to be afflicted with HIV/AIDS, a group of medical clinics reported yesterday.
Dr. Rodolfo Punzalan, Gulf Countries Accredited Clinics Association Philippines (GAMCA) president, said the number of OFWs confirmed positive for HIV/AIDS is on the rise.
Punzalan said that in the first six months of the year, their member clinics recorded 19 confirmed HIV/AIDS cases among OFWs seeking employment in the Middle East.
For the whole of 2009, Punzalan said, GAMCA clinics only recorded 21 confirmed HIV/AIDS cases.
GAMCA clinics are authorized by health ministries from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait to conduct medical exams on OFWs applying for work visas in their countries.
According to Punzalan, their member clinics are exerting all efforts to prevent the entry of those afflicted with infectious diseases.
He added that GAMCA is closely working with the Department of Health (DOH) in strictly implementing HIV/AIDS testing for OFWs.
“All cases found to be reactive in the screening method done twice within a span of 14 days are referred to the DOH laboratory for confirmatory tests with strict confidentiality of the OFWs found to be positive with HIV,” Punzalan said.
In all cases of OFWs found to be infected with AIDS and other infectious diseases, recruitment agencies would be properly informed to ensure they would not enter Gulf countries.
Those who refused to be examined by GAMCA clinics, Punzalan said, are placed under the watchlist system.
About 10,000 OFWs who did not pass GAMCA screening and now working in Middle East will still be given medical examination in the host countries.
“Those detected to be afflicted with infectious diseases would be deported and clinics that approved their departure would be fined $1,000,” Punzalan said. –Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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