Abu Dhabi: Illegal residents pose a major threat to the community, as they do not undergo routine medical examinations and are hence more likely to spread communicable diseases, officials have warned.
As per the UAE federal law, expatriates who seek to become residents of the country must be free of communicable diseases such as Aids, tuberculosis, hepatitis and small pox. Those tested positive for such diseases are deported to their home country.
"Illegal residents are like a health time bomb that could explode at any time because they do not undergo regular medical examinations," Dr Ameen Bin Hussain Al Amiri, Executive Director for Health Practices and Licences at the Ministry of Health, said in a statement.
They do not go through the mandatory medical tests, which are required by the law in order to legally reside here, he said.
Any diseased offenders, evading the law and living illegally in the country, could spread these diseases through various ways like sexual practices, preparing food for others, working in the services sector, using personal tools belonging to others and so on, he said.
Menace
"Hence, they pose a serious health concern to the ministry, comparable to the security concerns they cause to law enforcement agencies," he said.
When illegally residing individuals are unemployed they even tend to go into immoral and unlawful activities such as running brothels, he said, calling on the public to help authorities put an end to the menace.
The warning comes as the Interior ministry intensifies the hunt for illegal residents as part of a campaign called Sahim that kicked off last Wednesday.
According to the United States State Department Report on human rights in the UAE, in 2008, 1,518 expatriates infected with HIV, hepatitis types B and C, and tuberculosis were deported that year. "The federal law on those tested positive with contagious diseases is a preventive measure to maintain health and safety of individuals in our society", said Dr Ahmad Abdullah, an expert in tropical diseases at the Health Authority — Abu Dhabi.
He said harbouring illegals people, who lack access to health care facilities, could also affect the health of those working or interacting with them in homes, farms, factories or companies.
The Sahim campaign will continue until June 20, with the aim of increasing awareness on the negative impacts of infiltrators and illegal residents on the society.
The public is asked to immediately report any such persons they know of through the dedicated toll free number 80080.
Number of absconding labourers on the rise
More labourers are being reported for absconding said an official.
"The number of labourers reported absconding reports by employers has increased. We appeal to the community not to harbour any such offenders and to report them immediately," Humaid Bin Deemas, the director general of the Ministry of Labour said in a statement.
He also called on the concerned authorities to help curb illegal employment of workers, especially in the construction sector. Maher Al Obad, the executive director of labour inspections section at the ministry said illegal workers are deprived of the privileges the law gives them.
The law: The law of foreigners entry and residence stipulates that anyone who employs or harbours an infiltrator will be given a jail sentence of not less than two months and fined Dh 100,000. According to the same law, any establishment owner who employs an expatriate who is not under his sponsorship or leaves an employee under his sponsorship to work for someone else without observing the conditions set for sponsorship transfer or seeking permission will face a fine of Dh50,000.
— Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
workers
The public is asked to immediately report any such persons they know of through toll free number 80080.
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