By Tedler D. Depaynos, MD
The patient used to work abroad as an OFW but came home to marry his girlfriend whom he missed for years. He decided to return to his old job abroad after the delivery of their first child because of better income. He contacted his old employment agency and he was surprised that the medical examination became so strict. He was again diagnosed to have a “hemorrhoid” but this time he was advised surgery before his papers would be processed.
First degree hemorrhoids are located inside the rectum. 2nd degree comes out during defecation but returns inside spontaneously while 3rd degree has to be returned inside manually. 4th degree is outside permanently. As a rule 3rd and 4th degrees only are the ones that may need surgery. The patient has a 4th degree hemorrhoid but since it was very small conservative treatment was an option.
Actually he has a small mass at the 7o’clock position which was diagnosed before to be “4th degree internal and external hemorrhoid”. There were times however when it became swollen and painful when he was abroad especially when he indulged in spicy foods and when sometimes he got constipated. Hence he agreed to undergo surgery.
Although the medical exam of the patient was now stricter, he was happy that he was given time by the agency to undergo surgery before his papers would be processed and did not yet pay anything except for the medical examination which included some laboratory work ups.
We could recall a similar case a decade ago who underwent a similar surgery. She used to work in a hospital as an aide and for a better future she applied for employment abroad with some of her friends and co-employees. She was lucky to be selected. Everybody was expressing their congratulations but before her flight, she has to undergo a medical exam 1 to 2 days before her departure. Together with her baggage and excitement she went to the accredited clinic of the agency in Metro Manila for examination. She was diagnosed to have “hemorrhoids” and if it would not be removed she would be disqualified. Initially she did not know what to do but because she no longer had employment and the agency would not repay what she paid to them using what she borrowed from her relatives, she decided to return home for surgery. She pleaded her friend surgeon to be operated as an emergency case and on the following wee hours in the morning she insisted to be discharged. Despite the severe pain, she was still lucky because she was allowed to take the flight for her employment abroad.
In retrospect, this must be the modus of some employment agencies to have the medical examination be done just before the flight abroad. This would suddenly disqualify the applicants medically and will not repay what was already paid.
Over cups of unsugared coffee, an elderly colleague who is a pulmonologist could recall some cases he encountered where applicants were disqualified because of alleged “tuberculosis” in their x-ray findings. Despite the re-readings and repeat x-rays that the impression was negative, the accredited medical clinics of some employment agencies would still insist on their findings. What was sad was that even if the applicants missed their scheduled flights the agencies would not refund what they were paid.
Although these incidents occurred many years ago and we have not encountered or heard any similar case, applicants should still be wary of the employment agencies recruiting them. **
