UAE: Soon, overseas Filipino workers to get free annual checkups

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), including those based in the UAE, will soon receive free annual medical check-ups through the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers’ (DMW) Aksyon Fund, it was announced on Friday.

DMW minister Hans Leo Cacdac made the announcement during a Senate inquiry probing “irregularities in pre-employment medical examinations and alleged abusive practices by some clinics (in the Philippines),” according to a report by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Cacdac told senator Raffy Tulfo the free medical check-up will be covered by Aksyon (Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFWs na Nangangailangan) fund, a key financial support mechanism for OFWs needing urgent assistance abroad.

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Cacdac assured the routine health monitoring for OFWs during their deployment and prior to repatriation will also be covered.

Tulfo, meanwhile, urged the DMW to institutionalise the initiative through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) “to ensure greater oversight and regulation of medical clinics conducting OFW health clearances.”

“Medical clinics should have prior coordination with and obtain approval from the DOH,” Tulfo added.

OFWs are estimated to be around 15 million across the world. They have a significant presence in the UAE, believed to be more than 700,000 individuals – of which, approximately 450,000 reside in Dubai alone.

Overseas Filipinos help keep the Philippine economy afloat. As reported by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (central bank), OFWs sent a record $38.34 billion in remittances to the Philippines last year, marking a 3 per cent increase from the $37.21 billion recorded in 2023. Among the contributors are those from the US, Singapore, KSA, Japan, UK and the UAE.