𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬

…𝑾𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒐 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑰𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆, 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝑩𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒏

By Kezang Choden

Recent findings have brought to light significant concerns regarding the health insurance provisions for Bhutanese nationals employed abroad. This report delves into the intricacies of this issue, highlighting the obstacles encountered by workers and the regulatory frameworks designed to mitigate these challenges.

Bhutanese workers seeking employment opportunities abroad often rely on overseas employment agencies. These agencies, in collaboration with The Ministry of Industry Commerce and Employment (MoICE), facilitate the documentation process and provide pre-departure awareness sessions. However, despite their efforts, concerns regarding health insurance coverage persist.

Workers like Tshewang Gyelmo, currently employed in Kuwait, highlight the uncertainty surrounding health insurance. Gyelmo shared, “We have no idea about the health insurance. If they find any health issue, we will be deported back to Bhutan.”

Sonam Phuntsho, originally from Mongar and presently employed in Mahboula, Kuwait, embarked on his overseas journey seeking enhanced work opportunities through Rumi agent. However, he encountered a stark reality regarding health insurance coverage. “The company assured us of covering health insurance costs, but in practice, we ended up bearing all expenses for medical checkups,” he disclosed. “Although the company issued a health card promising partial coverage after a certain threshold, the actual process was far from straight forward,” he added.

Dechen Lhamo, hailing from Pemagatshel and currently employed in Kuwait for four months, expressed her uncertainty regarding the responsibility for their health insurance coverage. Her remarks raise concerns about the reliability and sufficiency of health insurance benefits pledged by employers, echoing similar experiences shared by others.

Despite the concerning stories shared, there are instances of optimism shining through. Sonam Gyeltshen, currently employed in the Middle East, shared a positive encounter. He mentioned that his employer, in partnership with the erstwhile MoICE (Ministry of Information and Communications), takes full responsibility for managing health insurance affairs. “I am immensely grateful to the teams at the former MoLHR (Ministry of Labour and Human Resources) and the Bhutanese Embassy in Kuwait for their timely assistance,” he remarked. Sonam also noted that there are over 200 Bhutanese workers in their company.

Sonam Choejur, from Paro and presently employed at Alghanim in Kuwait, clarified the health insurance coverage provided by his employer. He mentioned, “Our health insurance primarily covers major health issues, but for minor health concerns, we are responsible for the expenses ourselves.”

Lhamo, who worked in Kuwait for six months, returned to Bhutan after being diagnosed with breast abscess. Reflecting on her experience, she recounted, “My time in Kuwait was going smoothly until I began experiencing breast pain. After a medical checkup, which depleted most of my savings, I was informed about a possible breast cancer diagnosis.

Overwhelmed emotionally, I promptly returned to Bhutan for further treatment, resigning from my job as I had no other choice. Continuing to work in Kuwait while undergoing treatment would have left me with no savings or forced me to borrow a significant amount from friends.” She underwent surgery immediately upon returning to Bhutan and has since fully recovered. Lhamo expressed a wish for comprehensive health insurance coverage from either the agent or the company, which would have enabled her to remain employed in Kuwait.

In response to these revelations, The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Employment facilitates the placement of around 1500 candidates annually in Middle Eastern countries, where they work under contract terms of 2-3 years. Upon completion, these individuals return home enriched with valuable work experience, new skills, and knowledge, often bringing back enhanced expertise.

To ensure a smooth pre-departure and departure process, the Ministry conducts face-to-face briefings and utilizes social media channels to inform selected candidates comprehensively about essential documentation requirements. Providing forwarding letters expedites document attestation and safeguards candidates from falling victim to scams or illegal recruiters, ensuring the legitimacy of job offers.

Rigorous awareness campaigns through mass media outlets and official online platforms educate candidates about the Regulation on Employment of Bhutanese Overseas 2021 (REBO 2021) and the risks of engaging unauthorized recruiters. This empowers candidates to make informed decisions, safeguarding their interests throughout their overseas employment journey.

REBO 2021 mandates that foreign employers provide health insurance coverage for recruited candidates. Section 11 mandates that any individual or entity engaging in overseas job placement must obtain a Certificate of Registration from the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Employment (MoICE) to operate legally.

This requirement ensures adherence to established standards. Furthermore, section 88 of REBO 2021 imposes penalties on individuals or entities operating without a valid MoICE license, with fines amounting to Nu. 600,000/-. The Ministry keeps records of individuals going overseas and reserves the right to forward cases of illegal operations to relevant authorities for further action.