ACHIEVE, Inc.

Health At Stake: Access to Health of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)

In 2005, ACHIEVE conducted a research on Access to Health of OFWs. This research was part of a regional project undertaken by CARAM-Asia in 11 Asian countries. Through interviews with key stakeholders, focus group discussions and interviews with OFWs, and desk research from secondary sources, ACHIEVE was able to gather data on access of OFWs to preventive health information, and health care and services, at the pre-departure, post-arrival and reintegration stage.

Key Findings of the Study

Although laws and policies on labor migration are in place in the Philippines, the experiences of OFWs show that health information, care and services are still not easily accessible. This may be attributed to two main reasons: the lack of health-related provisions in the existing laws and policies; and the poor implementation of these laws and policies.

On-site, accessibility of health care services is affected by several factors: nature of work, costs, insurance coverage, language, nature of ailment or illness, geographic location of the OFWs, attitude of the employers and attitude of the migrant workers towards their health. It is therefore, very important to consider how enabling the environment is for migrant workers so that they are able to have full access to available health services.

Incidents of HIV have increased among OFWs in the last few years. A number of HIV prevention strategies have been initiated but the Philippine Government is still unable to provide optimum care for migrant workers who are already living with the virus. On the other hand, most receiving countries continue to brand migrant workers as carriers of this disease, denying them of health care and the right to continue working.

The study also shows that health is not a priority among Filipino migrant workers. They will endure illnesses in order to continue working because earning money for the welfare of their families is the number one priority. When their health problem can no longer be ignored they turn to their employers or their friends.

The second round of the State of Health commenced in November 2006. This time, the report will focus on the mandatory medical testing required of migrant workers before they leave their countries of origin and upon entry in the destination countries. The report aims to develop concrete recommendations that will make these medical testing requirements more friendly and beneficial for the migrants. CARAM hopes to have the SoH 2006 report out in time for the International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP), which will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka this August.

Ensuring Safe Procedures for Returning OFWs Diagnosed with HIV.

From 2004 and 2005, a number of HIV+ OFW returnees from abroad were brought to a government hospital immediately upon their arrival without having been properly informed about the reason why they were sent there. Because no timely endorsements were made to the receiving hospital from the airport welfare authorities, a number of them felt traumatized by the experience.