KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — The Health Ministry will look into introducing typhoid checks during health screenings on foreign workers entering the country.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said the ministry would hold discussions with the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency in Malaysia (Fomema), following a spate of cases in Kuala Lumpur over the past month.
“Food handlers are already required to get typhoid injections. There are also strict standing orders to inspect the cleanliness of eateries.
“However, we will be contacting Fomema about possibly introducing checks for typhoid,” he told Malay Mail in the Parliament lobby yesterday.
A Malay language daily reported that foreign nationals coming into the country for employment did not have to be checked for typhoid, as it was not one of the 18 diseases on the agency’s list.
These diseases include tuberculosis, hepatitis B, syphilis, HIV, malaria, leprosy, cancer and epilepsy.
The report also said around 1.3 million workers underwent screenings per year.
From this total, roughly three per cent of the workers failed the tests, with most suffering from hepatitis, tuberculosis and syphilis.
Health Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam advised the public not to panic over the typhoid situation.
In a statement released yesterday, Dr Subramaniam said the disease was endemic to Malaysia, but stressed the ministry was well equipped to deal with the cases.
“This disease can be prevented and
treated easily, and we have the diagnostic facilities and antibiotics to effectively detect and treat any cases,” he said.
Besides choosing eateries with high standards of cleanliness, Dr Subramaniam also urged the public to monitor the quality of the food they were consuming.
He stressed that it was important to look after personal hygiene.
“Wash your hands, especially before eating and after you use the washroom.
“Also, if anyone experiences any symptoms of typhoid fever, they should visit the nearest health facility for a check up or treatment,” he said.
