Workers with terminal illnesses should not be discriminated against

Abu Dhabi: A survey conducted by the UAE Human Rights Association showed the majority of respondents oppose any form of discrimination against workers with cancer, a senior official said.

The survey is done as World Health Organisation (WHO) experts warn that cancer is heading towards becoming the world's top killer, overtaking heart diseases.

The poll of more than 1,000 white and blue collar workers from across the country showed that 77 per cent of respondents oppose sacking workers with cancer for no reason but their illness, Mariam Al Ahmadi, Chairperson of the Workers' Rights Committee at the association, told Gulf News.

Al Ahmadi added the poll, which was prompted by a spate of complaints from people who were diagnosed with breast cancer and fired for no reason but their illness, also found that 98 per cent support retaining workers with other terminal illnesses as long as they are capable of discharging their duties and these illnesses are not infectious.

Cancer will overtake heart disease as the world's top killer by 2010, part of a trend that should more than double global cancer cases and deaths by 2030, international health experts reported on Tuesday.

Al Ahmadi said all respondents held the government responsible for ensuring that workers with terminal illnesses be provided with health care and that work environment should be safe and secure in keeping with related health and safety conventions.

However, she said, only seven per cent of respondents agreed that women should be encouraged to undergo tests at work to find out whether they are suffering from cancer, even as confidentiality is maintained. "An overwhelming majority of 93 per cent opposed any such measure."

Mariam said the association had managed to reinstate a number of such workers, "but we will work hard to eliminate discrimination against people with terminal illnesses, especially breast cancer at this stage. Employers, service providers and education providers are often afraid of how to manage people's experience of, or recovery from, cancer," Mariam explained.

Target

Mohammad Al Hammadi, secretary general of the UAE Human Rights Association, said the move is intended to end discrimination against such people.

If workers have cancer or have had cancer, the UAE's Labour Law makes it unlawful for them to be discriminated against in employment, according to Ministry of Labour officials. "Temporary absence from work for examination or treatment of cancer is not a valid reason for ending the service of a worker with such an illness," said an official. "An employer can be sued for arbitrary dismissal if a worker with cancer is sacked because of his or her illness."

We willwork hardto eliminate discrimination against people with terminal illnesses."

Disease to claim 7m

Cancer diagnoses around the world have steadily been rising and are expected to hit 12 million this year. Global cancer deaths are expected to reach seven million, according to the new report by the World Health Organisation.

New cancer cases will likely mushroom to 27 million annually by 2030, with deaths hitting 17 million.

Oncologists are already reporting an increase of cancer cases in children and of prostate cancer in men in the UAE.

Statistics showed that there are more than 1,500 prostate cancer cases in the UAE alone, making it amongst the most commonly occurring cancer.

Breast, colon and rectum, leukemia, stomach, thyroid, lung, bladder, prostate and cervix uteri are among the top 10 cancers in the UAE.

Each year, breast cancer affects 1.1 million women and claims 400,000 lives, according to the Breast Cancer Fund, a California-based advocacy group.

Do you know anyone who has been discriminated against due to their illness? Or has there been an instance where the company has taken care of them? Fill in the form bellow to send your comments.

When any individual becomes a victim of a terminal illness due to unfortunate circumstances that are beyond his or her control - the organisation he or she works for must stand by him or her in this time of crisis. Cancer is the biggest killer of our times and claims its victims at will. They may be working mothers/fathers with dependent children or aged parents. If in this time of personal tragedy, the organisation they are employed with forsakes them, then where will they go and whom will they turn to? It is therefore vital that such individuals are not discriminated against and instead receive as much help and support as possible from their employers - to ease their pain. I do not think this is asking for too much.
Shiuli Dutt Dey
Dubai,UAE
Posted: December 11, 2008, 14:26

Wokers who suffer from a terminal illness should not be let go because of it. The authorities should help in the treatment of people with illnesses.
From A Reader
,Canada
Posted: December 11, 2008, 13:23

I fully agree. Companies should not be allowed to sack people who have a terminal illness, especially if the employee is a senior citizen and has given years of his or her life to the company and has became a tool of that companies growth.
Manoj kumar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: December 11, 2008, 13:13

I was diagnosed with five tumours in my spleen last year and all I could worry about was my job and ensuring I continued to get paid. Thankfully, I had a very generous employer who let me take off all the time I needed to have my surgery and recover and also continued to give me my full salary. This is despite the labour law providing 15 days full pay and 30 days half pay and thereafter none. I was referred to Tawam Hospital, whom I am grateful for, for my surgery and treatment, which ended very well. I did not have to worry about filling in forms or what my insurance would pay for because everyone I met there was fantastic, as was the standard of care I received. I was also lucky to have the support of my company and still have the continuing support of the new company I have joined. However, there are many people who are not as fortunate as I am. There needs to be extra protection to ensure that a person who is unfortunately diagnosed with a chronic illness only has to worry about getting better and not about how they will afford to put food on the table or keep a roof over their head.
Claire
Dubai,UAE
Posted: December 11, 2008, 09:49