Kathmandu, February 13:

Speakers at a programme held here today said that a systematic mechanism should be put in place to provide medical certificates to those who want to go abroad for work.

The number nursing homes and clinics, which certify medical reports of those who want to go abroad for work, is rising with the rise in the number of people who want to go abroad for work. Some of these institutions are found providing fake certificates and not bothering to opt for thorough medical check-ups of the aspirants.

Speaking at the third anniversary of the Nepal Health Professional Federation, Shyam Prasad Mainali, secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, said the government plans to systematise medical certification. “The ministry is organising a meeting with the authorities concerned, especially with those working in the medical field and other line ministries. The meeting will look into ways to ensure that migrant workers do not face problems abroad due to medical certificates,” said Mainali.

Chairperson of the Nepal Health Professional Federation (NHPF) Khadga Bahadur Shrestha said the NHPF is monitoring medical associations, especially the issuance of medical certificates to those who want to go abroad for work. Dr Devi Prasad Bhusal, a member of the monitoring team of the NHPF, said individuals and institutes providing medical certificates to aspiring migrant workers should be brought together and regulated through a system. Dr Bhusal blamed the manpower companies for not taking the issue of medical certification seriously.