Kathmandu, June 7

The government is preparing to come up with guidelines on rescue of critically ill Nepali migrants working in foreign countries.

The draft of the guidelines is under discussion at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Department of Foreign Employment and Foreign Employment Promotion Board.

The government decided to come up with the guidelines to facilitate treatment and repatriation of critically ill migrant workers in foreign countries.  “We don’t have guidelines for the rescue of critically ill migrant workers. The draft guidelines also aim to facilitate the treatment of such migrants,” said Dhir Kumar Shrestha, under secretary at Foreign Employment Promotion Board.

“There are issues of transportation and the treatment cost. Critically ill patients need intensive care and treatment.  There are also questions if such patients can be provided quality treatment in the country,” said Shrestha.

As per the data provided by Foreign Employment Promotion Board, 23 Nepali migrant workers are in coma receiving treatment in foreign hospitals. Of these, four are undergoing treatment in Kuwait, 11 in Qatar, seven in Saudi Arabia and one in United Arab Emirates.

Such patients are either brought home by family members or provided treatment with financial assistance of the companies they work for.