Health Ministry Discusses Inclusion of Filariasis Screening in Work Permits

The Ministry of Health is currently in discussions regarding the inclusion of screening for filariasis in work permits, according to the Health Ministry’s Director General of Health Services, Dr Ahmed Ashraf.

The discussions follow the detection of twenty-five cases of Filariasis among foreigners in the city of Kulhudhuffushi, with an additional case reported in Hulhumale’ yesterday. Notably, no tests for filariasis have been conducted as part of the current work permit screening process, which primarily focuses on hepatitis, HIV, and tuberculosis.

He emphasised the need to evaluate the importance of including filariasis screening in work permits and discussed the potential of using the work permit mechanism to identify imported cases.

Health Protection Agency (HPA) Public Health Coordinator Mohamed Hamzath provided insights into the nature of Filariasis, clarifying that it is caused by the Culex mosquito. Unlike mosquitoes responsible for dengue, the Culex mosquito does not transmit the infection with a single bite.