Mauritius sets new health screening rules for Bangladeshi workers

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Mashiur Rahaman
The Mauritius government has imposed mandatory health screening of Bangladesh workers following reports that half of the adult population of the country carries Tuberculosis (TB).
The new strict health precaution was imposed recently in response to World Health Organisation's report that ranked Bangladesh 'sixth' among 22 countries having the highest number of TB patients in the world.
Migrant experts and recruiting agents have interpreted the change as 'alarming' and demanded appropriate government response.
Quoting Labour Minister, Jean François Chaumiere, Mauritius local newspaper (La Dafi Media) reported that the local government has already issued an order directing recruitment firms of the mandatory health screening of Bangladeshi workers.
Health tests of Bangladeshi workers are conducted in the country before they are sent abroad. Once completed, the recruiting firms send the health certificates to the Mauritius Ministry of Health, the workers are then issued a provisional health clearance certificate from MOH, the minister said explaining the process.
"The modified health screening policy for Bangladeshi workers would authorise the workers to enter the country, but only after undergoing a series of health tests for TB and HIV/AIDS, chest x-rays and other routine tests," he said.