Migrants face hurdles to get medical fitness certificate

Hyderabad: Diagnostic testing on medical fitness of workers, nurses, pharmacists and other skilled labour has become a cumbersome task as approved medical centres for Gulf migration are making applicants queue up from 5am to 8am in the morning - to receive coupons for tests that will be conducted later on the same day. Which means, on an average, an entire day could be spent waiting at one of these centres.

For example, the GCC centre at Chaderghat is approved by Gulf countries for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Every day, hundreds wait in the lines and there are no proper arrangements as most of the queue is outside the premises. A lot of women, who are applying for posts of nurses, paramedical staff and even domestics helps are forced to wait in the queue from morning.

Nurse Vijaya Reddy, who has applied for a Dubai visa, says, “This is my third time at the centre. The first two times, I missed because I was not able to make it here by 12 noon. For that reason, I have come here a day before and arrived here as early as 4 am. It is terrifying.”

Pharmacist G.M. Ather, who was present for his tests explained, “The office is located on the basement and coupons are allotted to us. Based on where the diagnostic center is located... the candidate has to rush, ensure that all tests are completed on the same day and then submit the documents back at the centre.”
If the tests indicate a negative, the candidate has to wait for 15 days and then re-apply. Mr Khalid  Ahmed, a 45-year-old male nurse who is applying for a post in Saudi Arabia says, “I am a diabetic and I suffer from high sugar levels.

The first tests have shown very high levels of sugar which is marked as a negative. I have to re-apply for tests so that I can be cleared. They insist that we come here, wait in the queue.”