Leprosy Diagnosis of Filipino Domestic Helper in Hong Kong Distresses Employer

On June 20th, 2024, a concerning case emerged in Hong Kong, where a Filipino domestic helper was diagnosed with leprosy shortly after arriving to work for a local family. This development has caused significant distress for the employer and raised important questions about the health screening process for foreign domestic workers.

The domestic helper, employed through a local employment agency, began exhibiting concerning symptoms such as red spots and swelling in her limbs within weeks of starting her job. Her condition quickly deteriorated, leading to her hospitalization at Tseung Kwan O Hospital, where she was diagnosed with leprosy on June 14th. It is believed she contracted the disease in her home country, the Philippines.

The employer, referred to as Mrs. Lee for privacy reasons, expressed profound worry upon learning of the diagnosis, as the maid had been living in close proximity to her family, including a 5-year-old child. Fortunately, medical tests showed no signs of infection in the Lee household at that time. However, the long incubation period of leprosy, which can extend up to 20 years, has left the family in a constant state of concern about potential future symptoms.

In the aftermath, the management of the residential complex where the Lee family resides issued notices to other residents, advising them to seek medical attention if they felt unwell, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

Mrs. Lee has been engaged in disputes with the employment agency, demanding compensation for the financial losses incurred due to the maid's illness, including the agency fee and medical expenses. However, the agency has refused to provide compensation, citing a health report from the Philippines that declared the maid free from communicable diseases prior to her arrival in Hong Kong. This report covered major diseases like hepatitis B and HIV but did not include screening for leprosy.

This incident has raised significant concerns about the thoroughness of health screenings conducted by employment agencies abroad and the responsibilities of these agencies when their health assessments fail to detect serious conditions. Mrs. Lee has criticized the agency for disregarding her situation, emphasizing that the health report may have omitted crucial information.

In response, the employment agency offered a partial refund and a discount on future services, rather than direct compensation. They also proposed to educate Mrs. Lee on the risks of leprosy and provide disinfection services for her home, which she found inadequate and dismissive of the gravity of the situation.

This case highlights the need for a more comprehensive and rigorous health screening process for foreign domestic workers, as well as the importance of clear policies and responsibilities for employment agencies to ensure the safety and wellbeing of both workers and their employers.

在香港診斷菲律賓家庭傭工感染麻風病令僱主大感困擾

2024年6月20日 - 香港出現一宗令人關注的個案。一名菲律賓家庭傭工在到職後不久被診斷患上麻風病,這給她的僱主家庭帶來巨大困擾,同時也引發了關於外籍家庭傭工健康檢查過程的討論。

這名家庭傭工是透過本地一間僱傭公司受僱於一個香港家庭。她在工作數週內便出現紅斑和肢體腫脹等症狀,情況迅速惡化,最終於6月14日在將軍澳醫院被診斷患上麻風病,相信是在母國菲律賓感染的。

受僱家庭的李女士(化名)表示,得知傭工確診感染麻風病令她非常擔心,因為傭工一直與她的家人,包括5歲的孩子,生活在同一屋簷下。幸好醫檢結果顯示李家人當時並未受到感染。然而,麻風病的潛伏期長達20年,李女士一家仍然對日後可能出現的症狀感到擔憂。

事件發生後,李家所在住宅大廈的管理處亦發出通告,呼籲其他住戶如有不適應盡快就醫,凸顯事件的嚴重性。

李女士隨後與僱傭公司展開爭議,要求賠償因傭工病情而產生的經濟損失,包括中介費用和醫療費用。然而,僱傭公司以傭工在抵港前的健康報告顯示沒有傳染病為由,拒絕作出任何賠償。該報告涵蓋了肝炎B型和HIV等主要疾病,但沒有包括對麻風病的篩查。

這宗事件凸顯了海外僱傭公司所進行的健康檢查存在不足,以及當這些檢查未能及時發現嚴重疾病時,僱傭公司應承擔的責任問題。李女士批評僱傭公司對她的處境漠不關心,並強調健康報告可能遺漏了關鍵資訊。

對此,僱傭公司提出部分退款和未來服務折扣,而非直接賠償。他們還提議為李女士家提供消毒服務,以及教育她關於麻風病的風險,但李女士認為這些措施都不足以應對事件的嚴重性。

這宗個案凸顯了為外籍家庭傭工進行更全面和嚴格的健康篩查的需要,同時也突顯了僱傭公司在確保工人和僱主的安全和福祉方面應承擔的明確責任。