Abu dhabi: The Nepali Embassy in Abu Dhabi organized an interaction programme to address the physical and mental health challenges faced by Nepali migrant workers in the UAE. The discussion focused on prevalent health issues and explored preventive and treatment measures.
According to National News Agency Nepal, 25 Nepali medical specialists participated in the event, where they highlighted that Nepali migrant workers in the UAE are dealing with both physical and mental health concerns. Mental health issues are reportedly occurring at a comparatively higher rate among these workers. The commonly diagnosed conditions include hypertension, risk of cardiac arrest, kidney-related issues, and various mental health disorders.
The participating doctors identified several factors hindering workers from seeking regular health check-ups. These include limited health awareness, a tendency to normalize or hide illnesses, insufficient knowledge about workplace environmental impacts in Gulf countries, lack of awareness regarding health insurance facilities, and language barriers.
Medical professionals advised that migrant workers should have regular health check-ups at least biannually, maintain adequate hydration, avoid alcohol consumption, and stay informed about their health insurance coverage. They also emphasized the need for the Embassy to intensify health awareness programmes targeting Nepali migrant workers in the UAE.
The Embassy was encouraged to coordinate with the Government of Nepal to facilitate telemedicine services for migrant workers. Additionally, doctors suggested that workers should complete medical examinations at standard hospitals before traveling to the UAE and receive orientation on health issues, insurance facilities, the destination country’s climate, road safety, and accident prevention.
Nepali Ambassador Tej Bahadur Chhetri, present at the event, expressed appreciation for the contributions of Nepali doctors working in the UAE and acknowledged the efforts of migrant workers in their respective fields. He assured that the Embassy is committed to implementing the recommendations provided by medical professionals and will continue collaborating to operate health awareness programmes for migrant workers in the future.