KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security (MOLESS) has announced a temporary suspension of medical test examinations conducted by 70 health institutes for individuals seeking foreign employment.
This decision follows a notice issued by the ministry on January 26, which outlined specific criteria that these institutes were required to meet.
A comprehensive monitoring initiative, initiated on August 29, covered 213 health institutes both within and outside the Kathmandu Valley.
The subsequent evaluation revealed that 70 institutes failed to meet the specified criteria, prompting the ministry to temporarily suspend their services related to medical test examinations for foreign employment aspirants.
The concerns primarily revolve around the quality of services provided by the identified health facilities in Nepal.
Notably, several destination countries, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and South Korea, independently select health institutes in Nepal to conduct medical tests for individuals applying for foreign employment opportunities.
Qatar, in a distinct approach, has opted to centralize all medical tests through the Qatar Visa Centre. This move by MOLESS is aimed at ensuring that health institutes catering to foreign employment aspirants adhere to the prescribed criteria, thereby maintaining the quality and reliability of medical examinations conducted for individuals seeking overseas job opportunities.
As the ministry takes proactive measures to address concerns related to the standards of health institutes, it reflects a commitment to safeguarding the interests and well-being of Nepali workers pursuing employment opportunities abroad. The temporary suspension underscores the importance of maintaining high standards in medical examinations to enhance the credibility of the foreign employment process.