By Xinhua,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will introduce compulsory medical check-up for certain contagious diseases for expatriates who come to the country to live, study or work for a period of not less than six months, Emirates News Agency reported on Tuesday.
The compulsory medical check-up was stipulated in a ministerial decree issued by the UAE Minister of Health Humaid Mohammed Al Qattami, according to the report.
The diseases covered by the compulsory medical check-up will include AIDS/HIV, Hepatitis B and leprosy.
In the case of Hepatitis C, the decree calls for more technical studies on the disease before a final decision to be taken. The decree also calls for syphilis and pulmonary tuberculosis test on expatriates during their first entry to the UAE.
According to the decree, the compulsory check-up will be conducted by only the Preventive Medicine Department of the Ministry of Health, Abu Dhabi Health Authority and Dubai Health Authority.
The UAE has a total population of 4.1 million, of which 78.1 percent are expatriates, according to official figures.