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Kuwait: Infected hepatitis teachers from Egypt buy fake medical records
Published Date: June 24, 2007 By Nancy Oteifa, Staff writer
KUWAIT: Egyptian teachers infected with hepatitis are buying fake medical records from corrupt officials so they can work in Kuwait, it has been claimed. The Kuwait government is planning to tighten up on work permit procedures after 48 Egyptian teachers were thrown out of the country after testing positive for hepatitis last March.
But according to an Egyptian teacher in Kuwait, the problem revolves around a booming trade in fake medical documents in Cairo. These are easy to obtain from corrupt officials, the teacher claimed.
"Teachers wanting to work in Kuwait have to have a medical check-up including tests for hepatitis," the Egyptian teacher said. "But they simply have the results changed on their medical report by bribing officials." There are more than 4,000 Egyptian teachers in Kuwait and before they receive work permits they have to undergo a medical examination, which includes tests for hepatitis, in Egypt. The results of those tests are then passed on to the Kuwait Embassy in Cairo.
The Egyptian embassy in Kuwait has already pledged to help the Kuwaiti Government in tightening up procedures. "We will do all we can," Tarek Al-Damati, an Egyptian Embassy official, said yesterday. "These tests are done in Egypt and it's up to our health department there and the Kuwaiti Embassy to go through the correct procedures."
Al-Damati, the head of the Egyptian cultural office, said the 48 teachers could be allowed back into Kuwait after receiving treatment. "If after medical treatment they received the all clear, I have been told by Kuwaiti officials they would be put on a priority list to return here," he added.
The Ministry of Education fired the 48 teachers on June 19 after it was revealed they had failed hepatitis tests last March, according to the Ministry of Health. But they stayed in their jobs until the end of the school year before their work permits were revoked.
Last week, Education Undersecretary Jassem Al-Omar revealed that tighter checks would be put in place but refused to elaborate on what form they would take. "There will be stricter measures when conducting medical checkups of expatriate teachers," he said.
Al-Omar pointed out that all Egyptian teachers hired since 2003 had undergone medical checks and that only 48 cases of hepatitis had been discovered so far. These range from contagious and noninfectious strains. Hepatitis has become a worldwide problem and causes the swelling of the liver and in some cases can lead to a premature death. The hepatitis A virus is mainly contracted through contaminated water or food. More than one million cases worldwide are reported each year.
Hepatitis B is a blood-borne virus and there are more than 200 million people infected worldwide. Finally, hepatitis C is the more chronic form of the disease and can lead to acute-liver failure. Research into hepatitis has shown that using statins-based drugs can slow and even eliminate the disease, according to the American Medical News. Statins are a group of medicines which are commonly used to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood.
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That goes to show you how prejudice people are!Why throw out ppl with HBV or even hiv?Are they not humans,sometimes i think that this is just inhuman!
The missing link is information and education. the country and it`s people have been transfered from the 19th to the 21 th century and is dealing with the consequences right now. 55% illiterated, highly traditional, with no expierences on premarital sex at all, they are placed into a society who slowly grew untill this stadium.
So, if Kuwait wants to avoid this kind of problems, I can understand. In my opinion it is Egypts duto to do something about it, instead as giving false certifications of health...
-------------------- “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” Posts: 7202 | From: EU | Registered: Nov 2006
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quote:Originally posted by maxman: That goes to show you how prejudice people are!Why throw out ppl with HBV or even hiv?Are they not humans,sometimes i think that this is just inhuman!
I think most people in the west are uncomfortable with the idea of people with HIV performing certain jobs- like health care.
I don't know if its discrimination- its certainly an issue of ethics. I can understand both sides.
Posts: 140 | From: TX | Registered: Aug 2006
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