DOHA - With many private companies in Qatar failing to cover their labourers under health insurance scheme, medical expenses are eating into the savings of these low-paid workers.
Private companies normally offer free accommodation, air tickets and transport allowance to their workers. Strangely, a majority of them do not provide health cover for their workers.
"Most of the private companies in Qatar have health insurance policies. Unfortunately, they restrict their package only to top officials and their family members. The labourers are mainly depending on the health card collected from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). Getting a health card is a time and money-consuming exercise", said Saad Al Bil Haaji, an employee of a private company.
When it comes to healthcare, the employer should not discriminate workers. Private clinics are demanding huge amounts as consultation and lab fees, he added.
Abdul Khader, another expatriate labourer who has been working with a private company in Doha for the last eight years, said he had to shell out a major share of his savings to meet the medical expenses of his family members.
"You visit a private clinic and you will have to pay through your nose. The labour department should ensure that all the private companies are reimbursing the expenses incurred by the worker towards the medical expense of the workers and their family members," said Khader.
Dharley, another expatriate labourer, said he paid QR 5,000 towards his medical expenses after he met with an accident last year.
"Depsite repeated requests; my employer did not bother to reimburse the bill. The company also denied my wages during the days when I was on hospital bed. ", he said.
© The Peninsula 2007
