Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Gamca lists diseases that would make OFWs unfit to work

The Gulf Cooperation Council-(GCC) Accredited Medical Clinics Association (Gamca) recently released the list of diseases that would render overseas Filipino workers (OFW) unfit to work in GCC countries

Under the hiring policies of GCC states – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, foreign workers from the Philippines and other Asian countries are required to pass the medical tests conducted only by Gamca clinics.

These include:

Infectious category
  • HIV/AIDS reactive
  • Hepatitis B surface antifgen, HCV reactive
  • Microfilaria positive and malaria blood film positive, known leprosy patients
  • Tuberculosis – any type, X-ray showing active PTB, past evidence of PTB or healed
  • Pulmonary scar, including minimum fibrosis, calcification (granuloma) pleural thickening, pleural effusion, tuberculosis lymphadenitis
  • VDRL/TPHA reactive
Non-infectious category
  • Chronic renal failure
  • Chronic hepatitis failure
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Known case of cancer
  • Psychiatric disease and neurological disorders
  • Physical disabilities, i.e. color blindness, deafness
Source:
POEA

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

i my self was a victim of wrong diagnosis...before a gamca clinic said that i was diagnosed of a desease called pulmunary tubercolosis. i was reluctant of the result because knowing that i have a healthy lifestyle i seek the opinion regarding my health..to my surprised i was diagnose to be normal and healthy..i tried to submit my reasult to the gamca clinic but they refused to consider my result..i was left hopeless at that point so i decided to halt the pursue of justice..after 6 months i tried to, once again apply for a job in the middle east..so gamca give me a new clinic..eventualy i passed the medical exam this time..now..im here at ksa working as a telecom engineer...i hope there will be no more cases like mine...if you like any opinions from me..email me at xyntax30@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

this is very disappointing...year 2007 when i applied for a job in oman. i was asked to go to a gamca clinic. unfortunately, the doctor said, i have lung scar. i was surprised because i have had my annual physical examination being employed locally. i always have normal chest x-ray result. i was so surprised that the doctor said i have the scar although it is a very small size. worse, was she said i might have ptb before that i never knew i had... silly, but this is a medical doctor saying this, what medical school have conferred a degree to this kind of moron... she halted a very promising career right on my face... poea and the office of the president should act wisely on this issues... otherwise, letting moron doctors in gamca clinics will only destroy the life and future of many filipinos...

Anonymous said...

Hi It happened to me just this week, I had a medical exam at a GAMCA authorized clinic last August 14, 2009. They diagnosed me having a thickened pleural, I told them I just had an annual examination just two weeks before the GAMCA clinic exam. This annual exam came from the local company I was employed with, they had found a healthy chest xray. They said I might have caught ptb without me knowing it. How can it be I told them, I amhaving a regular check up every six months. Unfortunately, the xray results was already lost. I only had a two year old xray and the xray from my latest annual exam. They blatantly told me that the the guys that were reading my previous xrays haven't read them correctly daw. "Iba iba daw kasi magbasa ang radiologists", I didn't had the courage to argue so I just nodded my head knowing that my career and dream of giving a future for my family has dropped dead in front of me. They will tranmit my 'unfit to work' result this weekend.

Anonymous said...

i had the same experience like u guys and it sucks!really!i had granuloma according to their gamca clinic (which hires unprofessional staff by the way), so i checked with a nearby clinic to know whether its true but the result says i had a normal xray just 2 days before they did the 2nd reading on my xray..how could it be!?i really do not know since im confused with them.. but one thing for sure,my opportunity to work in an airline was gone

Anonymous said...

I want to discuss my Medical Problem Against Getting visa. Kindly read it And give me a solution if any one have.
I am Abid Mehmood 24 years form Pakistan. I was the patient of Hcv in 2006, initially my Hcv antibody result was PIV=20.8 and HCV Pcr was +ve nd genotype test was 3a.
then i started trearment for 6 months and after treatment Pcr test become negative. then i repeated the test 3 times after every 6 month nd was -ve. but recently in November 2009 . i have applied for a job in Saudia at aramco . the deligation of aramco cleared me in interview but in Medical Examination at Al-Hilal under GAMCA they mark me unfit due to Weak +ve Antibody test done by Elisa Method, in this test PIV is 5.20.
Although I have cleared my Hcv disease nd hcv pcr test is still negative now on 1st January. And I have also consult many senior doctors they all say that I am now normal as any un-infected person is. I can not spread now this virus to anyone as my hcv pcr is negative
.
kindly guide me what I have to do know when I am quite normal and have recovered from disease. To whom I should consult to get special permission for visa on showing my brief treatment’s history.
( my e-mail address is: abidmehmood_85@yahoo.com)

Anonymous said...

in my case im still pending because i have nodular density daw in my r lung....... bad trip..
how about dis type am i be unfit too?
but my last xray is normal 2months ago is it posibble to have dat diagnosis very quikly?hhhhheeeeeeeeeeellllpppppp

Unknown said...

Is Malaysia included with this GAMCA Guidelines?. I had my medical result and they said I have "scar" on my upper lobe lungs. Does this mean I cannot work abroad?. Scar means I am healed and another thing I never had any cases of PTB. It was due to some cough medication I had. Please help me...
Marcy

Anonymous said...

Please check nyo po ang website ng GAMCA:

http://gamcacochin.com/gamca_cochin_fitness_criteria.html

Gusto ko lang e clarify na sa website ng GAMCA yung sinabi ay "Uncontrolled Hypertension" at "Uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus" ang unfit to work palagay ko malaki pagkakaiba nito sa POEA"

Anonymous said...

t 2007 meron daw ako hepa c ng pa med ako sa iba clear naamn daw. ngpnta ako agency hingi uli referral sa gamca ayaw nko bgyan need ko daw clear muna sa isang clinic. pnu ba gagwin ko hndi tuloy ako nkaalis ticket na alng nga ang kulang eh..

ask ko lang po if ever na hingi ulet ako referral sa gamca clear na ba ulet ako sa unfit to work??

syang lahat ng pagod ko ngaa eh na bale wla.

Anonymous said...

This is very humiliating to all flipinos desiring to go abroad. Just recently my husband was diagnosed w/ a lung scar. We're so hopeless because we have waited so long that he could be called by the agency he applied last year and now that the time has come still ha can not pursue just because of that when it is really a disease. I am so depressed about this banning of OFW w/ lung scar. How could our government approved this kind of policy when people from other countries w/ this kind of problem were not being prohibited to go abroad. Does it mean that our medication in the Phils. is something ineffective, this is unfair. Our government esp. the DOH has to review on this critically because this is quite degrading among Filipinos.

Unknown said...

i m shocked to know that the calcification is in the list as it is nothing according to the specialists of chest diseases!
i want to know by the authorities of the gamca why some one is assigned medically unfit if he/she has some calcification which is nothing but a harmless scar according to the specialists! i think the authorities of the GAMCA must re-consider their criteria about the problem of calcification as i m also a victim of theis phenomenon!
i m working in a fertilizer plant for the last 3years and never had any problem ever in my life of 26years related to point toward the cause of calcification! i also demend the answer or the clearification of this thing calcification on being as a disease in the GAMCA diseases panel??

Anonymous said...

hello guys!!! my husband is the new victim oF GAMCA they told him that he has PEKLAT in his left lung.when in fact when he was here in ksa we had annual medical exam for the renewal of iqama.he just left ksa last year.it sucksss sinisira nila kinabukasan ng isang tao.....please help kailangan din natin kumilos.where can we report this issue.hindi na ito biro.please email me meriamrmt@gmail.com maraming salamat.

Anonymous said...

Magandang araw po sa lahat.... noong 2006 nag apply po ako sa isang agency para sa saudi arabia or KSA. Pumasa po ako sa interview, sabi ng agency ko pumunta ako ng GAMCA upang kumuha ng referal for medical... kinabukasan po nagpamedical na po ako, lumipas ang tatlong araw meron na po resulta na mayroon daw po ako sakit VDRL... hindi ko pa nakita ang resulta ng medical ko, agad po ako nagpagot sa isang private clinic, naka recieve po ako ng tatlong injection at meron pa po gamot ipinainum. hindi ko din po alam kung saan ko nakuha ang sakit na yon... hindi naman po ako nambabae dahil alam ko mahigpit ang medical papuntang KSA... after a month nagpa medical po ako uli sa isang private na clinic negative po ang lahat ng result ko... ngayon taon 2010 nag apply po ako uli papuntang Qatar, samadaling salita po pinapagmedical na po ng ako ng agency ko at pinadaan din po ako sa GAMCA, lumabas na naman po ang medical ko meron parin po ako sakit VDRL... nagugulohan po ako sa situation na ito... hindi ko po alam kung totoo ba ang ginagawa ng GAMCA o kalukohan lang ba ito... meron din po ako na dinig na balita kung meron kana record sa GAMCA na ikaw meron sakit, kahit po ilang taon na lumipas at kahit wala kanang sakit. andon parin ang resulta mo sa GAMCA na ikaw meron parin sakit... dapat daw po magbayad sa GAMCA para matanggal po ang record mo doon.... ano po ang dapat gawin ng mga tao katulad namin?

Anonymous said...

hello po sa inyong lahat..
knina lang po galing ako s agency n pinag applayan ko dahil for medical n ako..to my surprise d n po ako binigyan ng referral dahil may previous record n daw po ako n UNFIT..way back 2007..and ang findings ay BONE ISLAND,,i believe this is not a sakit..and mukhang wla naman sa listahan ng GAMCA n this is consider UNFIT..please help me kung saang agency ako pwede pumunta para maayos ito..
gumuho ang pangarap kong makapagtrabaho s ibang bansa dahil dito.pasa sa final interview pero mawawala lahat dahil s previous record..pls help

Anonymous said...

i have also a lung scar in my left apex..although i was treated, healed and non infectious.stil the GAMCA clinic still said dat am UNFIT TO WORK why would not reconsider dat kind of findings.wat happen to the gov't officials?they ruin the dreams and oppurtunities of many filipinos for just having a scar problems.

Anonymous said...

Dapat tlaga buwagin na ung GAMCA... Lung scar din case ko... Sinira din nila pangarap ko magkaron ng magandang buhay... DAPAT MAGLUNSAD NG KAMPANYA PARA SA PAGBUWAG NG GAMCA...SAYANG ANG MGA OPPORTUNITIES SA MGA BANSANG MEMBER NG GAMCA....

Anonymous said...

Hindi natin mapapabubuwag ang GAMCA kc requirement tlga cia pag magwwork ka sa isang GCC country. Pwede ireklamo ang mga clinics sa GAMCA mismo (international). I was also a victim 4 years ago when I was offered a job at Emirates Airline. IPAMS ang naghandle ng papers ko (official agency ng Emirates), tapos pina-check up ako nila sa S.M.Lazo clinic. Sabi nila ung meron daw akong Lung Scar, tapos binilugan pa nila ung white area sa XRAY plate. Ayun unfit daw ako kaya binawi ng Emirates ang job offer sakin. After 1 year I was offered a job at Oman Air, ako na mismo ang nag-asikaso ng papers ko. I went straight to GAMCA and in-assign nila ako sa BARTOLOME clinic. Clear ang X-RAY ko and black na black sya. Ayun FIT to work ako, and I am here in Oman now. Sabi ng mga kakilala ko baka ung sa S.M.Lazo dati baka nde nakapwesto ng maayos ang katawan ko kaya may white sa XRAY. Possible na NAGMAMADALI ANG RADIOLOGIST kaya nde nakuhanan ng maayos. baka ganun nga. Dapat baguhin ng mga clinics ang policies nila at payagang magpa-2nd opinion ang mga applicants.

Chris said...

Magandan araw po sa lahat...isa rin ako biktima ng scar....at ilan beses na rin po akong nag aabroad.. ito last na medical ko ay di na daw nila pede ipasa ngaun ang scar..sa dahilan na di na pede sa bansang pupuntahan ko..para bang sinabi na rin nila na patay na ako..ano ba ang nangyayari sa mga leader na ito... bakit sila masyadong mahigpit sa mga bagay na wala na man dapat ipag bawal..kailanga pa ba natin pag hirapan ng husto eh alam naman natin ng ang scar at healed na..Sana sa mga leader ng GAMCA clinic mag isip naman kayo masyado nyo pinahihirapan ang mga tao.. nag babayad kami ng Medical Fee tapos ganito pa ang mangyayari sa buhay namin.. ang gusto naman magandang buhay..at yan ang pinapapangako ng mga President na uupo..bakit naman ganito dapat sa na mabigyan nila ng pag kakataon ang biktima ng Lung Scar..di naman namin ginusto ito kahit nung panahon na napabayaan ang sarili..sana magising na ang Leader na dapat mag bago ng buhay...

Anonymous said...

may bone island po ako. last january 2010 ako nagpa-checkup sa GAMCA Clinic. Angelina Apostol Punzalan Medical Clinic sa Guadalupe. kahit saan ka naman pupunta, hindi po sakit ang bone island. kailangan lang i-verify kaya dapat may 2nd x-ray na iba ang angle depende sa doktor. sa awa ng Diyos, January 31 (2010) nakarating din ako sa Qatar. sana maayos nyo na lahat yan. di rin naman tinitingnan yang medical dito e. may gagawin silang sariling x-ray ulit at blood test. yun ang final.

Anonymous said...

i just want to share this..i just want GAMCA to know this..i undergo a medical to S.M Lazo clinic last 2009 of june.they diagnose me a high reading of SGPT. A physician tell me to take a medicine silymarin for a week,when i come back to clinic the reading of my SGPT still not in standard reading...i decided to have an finding outside their clinic(S.M Lazo)but the findings is still not in normal reading and there is an gallstone found in my gallbladder after my ultrasound..I came back to S.M Lazo and show them the result that conducted outside their clinic.They conducted me again an ultrasound and positive their is a gallstone 0.1mm in size.if a person has a gallstone is he/she is unfit to work?To GAMCA i just want to clarify if unfit to work or fit to work.IF unfit to work why they refer me to their specialist and said that if the specialist will clear me and give a certification that it will be considered me to fit to work my medical will release and i can work overseas.but when i present my clearance from the specialist they refer me..they ignore it..the big question is why they refer me to specialist if they will refused the clearance that the specialist render to me......sana po mabigyan ninyo na aksyon sa GAMCA kasi po ngayon hindi ako makapagmedical sa ibang clinic na under ng GAMCA kasi yung agency ko po na inaplayan hindi makakuha ng request sa inyo kasi pending po yung medicak ko sa S.M Lazo..pero sa agency ko po yun dati na withdraw ko na po yung mga documents ko..sana po o mabigyan ako na kasagutan kasi marami pa po akong pangarap....i think im the one of the victim of S.M Lazo..
thank you and Godbless to GAMCA

Anonymous said...

sa mga taong nsa likod ng GAMCA na yan, makakarma din kaung lahat!!isipin nyo ang mga buhay na sinira nyo dahil sa pagmamagaling nyo, kung sino ang ipapasa at sino ang hindi..isa ako sa nasira nyo at dinamay nyo pa ang pamilya ko.maganda na sana ang buhay nming mag anak pero sinira nyo..at nalaman ko lamang na WALA AKONG LUNG SCAR NA PINAGDIDIINAN NYO!! tertiary hospital at pulmonologist na ang napuntahan ko, WALA akong peklat..naisip ko tuloy na kulang lang ata ako ng LAGAY sa inyo, d na kayo nahiya..sa Pangulong Aquino, maaari nyo po bang matulungan ang mga kababayan mo na lugmok nnga sa kahirapan at pumipilit na labanan ito ngunit may mga umaastang mga diyos dyan na pilit pring isinusubsob kami sa putikan..maawa na po kayo. at sa GAMCA, may karma tayong tinatawag..isang libong beses higit nyo mararanasan ang ginawa nyo sa mga kababayan nyo..

Anonymous said...

pag poba nagfailed na ng isang beses sa accredited clinic ng GAMCA, meaning hindi na makakapunta or makakapagwork kahit kelan sa KSA?

Anonymous said...

Hi guys, ako man nabigyan ng pagkakataon para makapagtrabaho sa UAE, first time ko sana mag abroad, pero laking gulat ko na nagpositive ako sa TPHA blood results?? Syempre magpatingin ako sa iba for second opinion tapos negative ang resulta. Syempre kilala mo naman sarili mo. Eh ayaw din nila tanggapin second reult, biased di ba po?? Nasira talaga yung chance ko, ang ganda pa naman ng offer, eh anu pa magagawa ko? baka gusto lang nila ng LAGAY..Hindi talaga ako naniniwala na positive ako sa TPHA..pero alam ko may anomalya jan...Sana yung may parehong kaso jan pakitulungan naman ako sa pamamagitan ng payo o advise nya..Thanks

Anonymous said...

my friend had a findings of pleural thickening and was declared unfit to work,but someone help her manipulate her medical clearance to convert to fit to work, when she arrived in KSA,she had a medical investigation again in KSA for her Iqama and everything was just okey and she was given Iqama,so my question is, if from the country itself who gave authorities to this GAMCA accepted this type of patient, then why this GAMCA cannot accept and cannot declare her fit to work,now she is working very well in a hospital in KSA.To GAMCA, make up your mind, you are destroying many filipino lives who are aspiring for a better future for their families.

Anonymous said...

I was offered a $9,000.00/month job in Jubail to commission a Cogen plant by a UK company based in UAE. I underwent pre-employment medical screening in big hospital in the Philippines chosen by the employer. Results was fit to work even though x-ray showed pulmonary fibrosis or scar which was also okayed by my employer. My employer instructed me to resign from my job and report to local agency for visa processing. I was again subjected to medical exam as required by my local agency but this time result is unfit to work due to scar in my lungs. F*** My agency did not bother to warn me not to proceed with GAMCA medical exam even they knew my pre-employment medical x-ray result had old scar. Welcome to Philippines

Anonymous said...

Dko n maalala ung clinic na pinagpa medicalan ko nun! Basta dun un sa my taft. Front of NBI ata... Full check up conduct nila sakin, oo pati dental!... Basta wala kng aids pasok yan ah! Mag formal attire ka para pag nakita ka sabihin nila na professional ka at dka nila pag tripan! Alam mo nman jan satin maraming kalokohan eh! Bk ginawa na ring negosyo! Lam mo na lagay! Ako nga nun pati pwet ko tinignan! Sabi my almuranas daw ako! Pero magagawan daw un ng paraan... Getz ko na eh, kaya kunwari nagtangatangahan na lng ako kunwari dko sya nasakyan! Then pinatunog ko cell ko saka ko kunwari sinagot sabi ko "hello Mommy! Andito pako sa clinic! Ewan ko kung wat time ako matatapos eh! Bk dna ko makadaan dun at kulang na ang pera ko! Isa pa bk dna ko pautangin, Bilan n lng muna natin ng maliit na kahon ng nido si baby! Dipa kami sumasahod delay nanaman kami" o ano insan ok ba ung immediate response ko hehehe! Kaya lng sabi ko wag lng tutunog itong cel ko na my magttex naloko na hehehe! Cguro na konsensya ung nagchecheck up sakin.. Sabi kawawa nman ito pala, dapat makaalis ito para hindi maghirap! Di nila alam ung nido is pediasure pala, nan, promil gold nyahahahaha... Ang mga loko-loko iisahan pako hehehe! Sabi ko doc pano ko magkaka almuranas eh never naman sumakit pwet ko at never me nahirapan sa pag popoh ko!... Nainis nga ako eh kc pagdating ko dito full check-up ulit! Anak ng teteng kako! Wala cla tiwala sa pinas medical ata! My record naman na eh!... Sa pinas parang ang higpit higpit ng screening kako tas d2 check up ulit! Meaning umi-style lng ang pinas! Requirement daw un dapat sa Gamca... Ay mga hinayupak, di naman nila kilala ang gamca d2! D2 nga daw eh my mga ibang lahi egyptian, jordanian o kung ano pa un, sabi nila dito natutu lang atang maglinis ng sugat magbondage doctor na eh!... Naka lusot cla my certification cla! Tapos jan ang screening matindi! Dapat nga lahat nung nagpapa check up jan lagay nila fit to work lahat eh para mas dumami ang remitance ng pinas eh! Wala nman na magagawa dito kc andito na ung applicant na ginastusan nila db?almuranas lng, highblood, mataas sugar etc etc etc... Makkapag trabaho pa din ung mga ganun at usuall na mga findings yan eh dapat di na nila yan nirerecord! Dapat dinudoctor na yan! Syempre wag lng my TV ka kc nakkahawa ka! Sa halip na madaming bayani eh! Hehehe... THE END

Anonymous said...

assalamoalaikom,,, until now i couldn't imagine how and why i have a small scars in my lungs,,,what is the cause...after a years passing by, i been working in saudi aribia for two years...d tlaga ako mkapaniwala,,dahilan nito hnd na daw ako pwedi mgtrabaho s abroad...bkit gnun wla nman akong transferable disease...sna ang GCC pahintolotan muli ang mga gnitong case n alam nla d nman mkakasira s lhat,,,prang pinatay na nila ang kinabukasan ko para sa sarili ko at pamilya ko....kung alam ko lang ganito mangyari sana di na lang ako umuwi...pero dont loss hope,everything will have a plan...inshallah god is fair....oneday my milagro mgyari pra mkabalik ako abroad this year 2010........ameeeeen

Anonymous said...

Guys i have bad experienced with a accredited clinic which is S.M. Lazo, and bilis nilang magbigay ng UNFIT to work kaya nagpull out ng offer sakin dati ang company, but I look for a pulmonologist, yes gumasta nako, then after 4 months ng pabalik balik ako sa SM Lazo and ater undergoing another x-ray they found it clear, I am now working here at Doha. Pwede ba tayong magsampa ng kaso sa clinic na ito knowing na laking abala at pagkawala ng magandang oppurtunity ang naging epekto ng maling diagnosis nila?????

Anonymous said...

i want to file legal case to S.M.Laz dahil sa maling diagnosis nila. Ano maganda kong gawin?

Anonymous said...

I'm also a victim of 1 of the GAMCA clinics. They have the diagnose that I have a PTB and Hepa B. So I asked a second opinion from a specialist because I cant sleep for several days thinking that I have diseases. I got the results from the specialists and it is negative. I give the health certificate in GAMCA clinic and they didn't accept it. My applications were delayed and I already resigned from my local company! They ruined my life. Makonsyensa naman sila! Please give us justice! Meron pa naman KARMA!!

Unknown said...

Last September 3, 2012, one agency offered me a job in Saudi, Arabia. I already signed the contract and pass all the necessary papers. I even took the Prometric Examination because it was required for us nurses to take that exam so that we can work in Saudi, Arabia. After that in the 3rd week of september they ask me to go to the Gamca Clinic located near Makati Fire Department. after 2-3 days, the Agency recieved the result and said that i was pending because the Clinic diagnose me of Pneumonia Vs. PTB(DAW). The Doctor prescribed me Levofloxaccin for my Pneumonia and to bring old X-Ray films for my PTB(daw). I took the meds and after a week. The pneumonia was gone but they still considered me for PTB. so i went to the Lung Center of the Philippines to ask for a 2nd opinion. The LUng Center said that i was negative of Acid Fast Bacilli in my Sputum Exam. Meaning I dont have Active PTB. But my Xray showed some Right Apical Fibrosis. The Pulmunologist said that it might be Ghon's Focus.that i got the scar when i was a child. So Meaning I dont have any Active diseases. So after that I went to the GAMCA Clinic and said to me though im not sick but the GAMCA rules said that even a Minimum Fibrosis would be considered Unfit. I was shock by the statement. It only means as long as i have this Lung scar, i cant work in any Middle east Country. it Shattered my dream. Im a Muslim and I Really want to work in Saudi Arabia but because of the GAMCA Rules, i Cant. i dont know what to do. :(

Blog Archive

Subscribe Now-RSS feed

Display this banner in your blog! Copy the code below and paste it in your editor

OFW,POEA


Followers