Artistes perform during the International Labour Day celebrations hosted by ICBF at the Asian Town, yesterday. Pic: Baher Amin / The Peninsula
Workers in the Industrial Areas will have their "own hospital very soon" and access medical facilities there within 10 to 15 minutes, said Dr Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Director Public Health at the Ministry of Public Health.
He said that very soon every body would have their "Health ID" and better chance for hospitals. "We are opening three hospitals for male migrant workers that will help and provide bed for every worker," Al Thani further announced.
"Every year workers conditions are getting improved. A lot of workers have new technology, new mobile phones and every body is connected with internet. The embassies now have more capability to communicate with you in an easier way. I see always embassies' websites are updated that provide you better communication," Al Thani said while addressing a ceremony to mark Labour Day organized by Indian Community Benevolent Forum, Embassy of India at Asian Town.
He futher said: "We are following our vision at the ministry of public health to move forward for better awareness to provide better health services to the workers and their children in future."
He said that there were large number of people in the Industrial area and "soon they will have their own hospital". "They will be able to access hospital in 10 to 15 minutes. In the same manner health centers will be established in Al Shamaal and Umm Said," Al Thani added.
Various departments of the Ministry of Interior including Public relations, Human Rights, Traffic, Civil Defence were present there through their officials to create awareness among workers particularly regarding new labour law.
They told the workers that under new law, once a worker completes tenure of his contract, he would have no two-year bar to join some other job in Qatar and he would be able to come and join another job any time.
They also told workers about grievance committee, exit permit, and other related topics. The officials of MoI told workers that sponsors could not keep employees passports and the penalty for this violation of law had been increased from QR10,000 to QR25000.
P Kumaran, Ambassador of India to Qatar, said: "We are always keen at the embassy to solve the problems of Indian expatriates in Qatar and ready to help them. We will take more initiatives to provide you better support and services."
He said the embassy had plans to launch another help line within few weeks so the workers could call whenever they want and their problems will be registered in a mother portal and "they will remain under process until they were solved".
The ambassador said: "We are also thinking to do new arrangement for passport and visa services. Either to outsource it or set up a visa application center at Industrial Area and Freej bin Hilal .
