The government has increased the health examination fee for workers going for foreign employment to 9,500 rupees. Earlier, the health examination was being conducted for 6,500 rupees.
What you should know
The Foreign Employment Professionals Association has urged the government to withdraw the increased fees for health screening of workers going for foreign employment.
The union issued a statement on Friday and warned that the syndicate in health check-ups will not be accepted. The government has increased the health check-up fee for workers going for foreign employment to 9,500 rupees. Earlier, health check-ups were being conducted for 6,500 rupees. Businessmen and experts have stressed the need to reconsider the decision taken by the previous government to increase the financial burden on workers. The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security has said that permission has been given to increase the service fee as 34 types of health checks are required. The government had made a 7-point decision on Chaitra 28 to make health check-ups more systematic, dignified and quality in order to minimize health risks and accidents of workers going for foreign employment, based on the recommendations of the Health Institution Standards-2077 of the Ministry of Health and Population, the Report of the Study Task Force-2081 formed to improve the health check-up work of workers going for foreign employment, and the Foreign Employment Regulations-2064. Based on this, on November 20, the Prime Minister and Labor Minister-level decision was made to monitor and list (newly select) 171 health institutions that met the new standards in accordance with the 'Work Procedures for the Registration, Renewal and Monitoring of Health Examination Institutions for Workers Going for Foreign Employment-2072 (Amended)'. 29 health institutions that did not meet the new standards have been removed from the list. It took the Ministry of Labor nine months to monitor and select health institutions that had added health examination materials and improved labs as per the revised work procedure. The Ministry of Labor has stated that after the selection of listed health institutions, the way has been opened for the expansion of health examinations and the implementation of new fees.
The major tests added include blood tests (CBC, ESR, platelets), tuberculosis tests (chest X-ray, Mantoux test, sputum AFB), kidney function tests (serum urea, creatinine), hepatitis B and C, malaria, sugar, typhoid, etc. In addition, there is provision for occupational diseases (respiratory problems, skin diseases, muscle and bone problems, cancer, diabetes, heart disease) to be tested according to the age and occupation of the workers.
A 30-member high-level expert task force led by the then Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Deependra Raman Singh, formed to improve the health screening of workers going for foreign employment, had recommended adding health screening materials, improving the lab, and expanding the scope of testing. According to this report, the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security has stated that the scope of health screening has been expanded and the fees have been determined.
The Ministry of Labor has stated that the health service testing fees have been determined based on the fees prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Population. Although the government charges more than Rs 12,000 for 34 types of tests as per the fees set by the Ministry of Health, the package has been fixed at Rs 9,500 as health tests are required.
Workers going for foreign employment will now have to undergo 34 types of health tests
