CNMI, RP officials to tap 4 clinics for health screening

Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez will meet with the Department of Labor and Immigration and the Philippine Consulate to identify four more reliable clinics that can conduct health screening to nonresident workers seeking employment in the Northern Marianas.

With the implementation of Public Law 11-97, Mr. Villagomez said there is a need to begin the search for additional clinics, which is envisioned to improve the reliability of health clearances submitted to DOLI.

Public Law 11-97 has set the standards for acceptance of health clearances provided by foreign countries for the purpose of entering the Commonwealth and obtaining work permits.

“Until now, we don’t have any faith in the system, thus, we have to conduct another health screening here when the worker arrives,” said Mr. Villagomez. He said there were instances when workers who submitted excellent health records to their employers from a certified clinic in Manila, but were later on tested positive for tuberculosis.

Although St. Luke’s Hospital is acceptable to the CNMI since the Commonwealth Health Center sends some of its patients to the Philippine hospital for medical treatment, Mr. Villagomez recognized that it may not be accessible to other job applicants who are from the provinces.

The health chief said once the system has improved, guest workers will only be screened on the second year of their stay in the CNMI to reduce business costs.

Under Public Law 11-97, the Secretary of DOLI is required to establish an approved list of sources of the required clearances for nonresident workers and their family members.

The list includes all persons, agencies and entities in foreign countries approved by the State Department, Immigration and Naturalization Service, or the Department of Justice for comparable services.

Several agencies of the federal government, including the State Department and the INS, maintain lists of reputable and reliable agencies and entities in foreign countries that are considered acceptable sources of health screening certifications and criminal background checks.

Nonresident workers are required to undergo annual health screening as mandated by the CNMI statues. Various medical tests are conducted to detect tuberculosis and sexually-transmitted diseases.