19 Middle East-bound OFWs found to be HIV-positive

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.