Government’s two-day weekend cuts off telemedicine for migrant workers

A new two-day weekend policy in Nepal has inadvertently cut off essential telemedicine services for migrant workers, leaving hundreds in distress. The change, implemented in April, means the service run by Bir Hospital is now only available Monday through Friday.

A 29-year-old domestic worker from Kailali district, residing in Abu Dhabi, experienced this firsthand when she tried to seek treatment for cervicitis on a Sunday. She had also attempted to contact a doctor on Saturday but was unsuccessful. "Since the government introduced a two-day weekend in April, the telemedicine service for migrant workers has been available only on working days [Monday to Friday]," a health worker at Bir Hospital stated, requesting anonymity.

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Since the government introduced a two-day weekend in April, the telemedicine service for migrant workers has been available only on working days [Monday to Friday].

This situation echoes the struggles of countless Nepali migrant workers abroad. They already face significant barriers to healthcare, including language differences, limited access to facilities, lack of insurance, high travel costs, and fear of job loss if they take time off. For many, this telemedicine service is their sole medical support.

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Like other healthcare services, telemedicine has also remained unavailable on Saturdays and Sundays after the government enforced a two-day weekend.

Over 3 million Nepalis work abroad, with West Asia being a major destination. The telemedicine service, a joint initiative of the Secretariat of the Foreign Employment Board and Bir Hospital launched three years ago, serves over three dozen ailing migrant workers daily from 46 countries. "Like other healthcare services, telemedicine has also remained unavailable on Saturdays and Sundays after the government enforced a two-day weekend," confirmed Dr. Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson for Bir Hospital. The agreement with the Secretariat specifies service availability only during official working days and hours.

The government's decision to implement a two-day weekend, aiming to address a fuel crisis in West Asia, has impacted thousands seeking public services and state-run health facilities. Patients report extended wait times, postponed surgeries, and increased costs at private clinics. Doctors at Bir Hospital noted the woman's distress, quoting her as saying, "I was in serious trouble because of the unbearable pain."

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I was in serious trouble because of the unbearable pain.