JEDDAH, 28 July —- A number of Saudis have expressed concern about contracting communicable diseases such as TB and leprosy particularly from Indonesian and Indian workers and domestic servants who come into direct contact with members of the family.
They have urged the ministries of health and foreign affairs to take all necessary steps not to allow workers with such dangerous diseases to be brought to the Kingdom, particularly to work in houses and women’s hospitals, Al-Madinah newspaper reported yesterday. Thorough medical examination of workers at the recruiting stage is one of the measures recommended by the worried people. Their worry has further been compounded by the findings of a World Health Organization report that Indonesia is third in the list of 22 countries with large number of TB patients. Indonesia is one of the leading suppliers of housemaids to Saudi Arabia.
The WHO report also noted that 15 million Indonesians suffer from malaria annually. While India tops the list, China is the least affected by the killer disease.
Leprosy is also a common disease in Indonesia, with a fourth place internationally after Brazil, India and Myanmar.
