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Household Staff/Driver Medical Screening

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When you hire household staff or a driver, it is highly recommended that they undergo medical screening prior to employment. Because these people are residing in your home and/or are in constant contact with you and your children, and prepare your food, the opportunity for transmission of disease is high.

A prospective employee may have had a medical check up with a previous employer, however if the person has been back in the home village for some time, it is a good idea to have them screened again before commencing employment with your family, as they may have come into contact with communicable diseases living in close contact with others in an unhealthy environment.

It is recommended that you have your potential staff screened for tuberculosis and hepatitis. Tuberculosis is endemic in Indonesia, however it is easily treatable with a 6-month program of drugs taken regularly under supervision. 2 – 4 weeks after treatment has commenced the person is no longer infectious, but it is very important to complete the full course of treatment.

These tests can be carried out by any competent medical professional. However, please be advised that unscrupulous medical staff can be bribed to falsify results for potential employees wishing to cover up the fact that they have a communicable disease.

Therefore to ensure accurate results, it is recommended that you take your staff to a reputable clinic which offers a special program to screen potential employees of expats. It may cost a bit more, but the confidence of accurate results will be worth it. Indeed your family's health may depend on it!

Recommended Medical Tests for Household Staff:

Chest X Ray (to check for Tuberculosis)

Blood Tests:

Hgb
WBC
Differential
Sed Rate
SGOT
SGPT
HbsAg
Routine Urine
Routine Stool Test

Recommended Medical Tests for Drivers:

Chest X Ray (to check for Tuberculosis)

Blood Tests:

Hgb
WBC
Differential
Sed Rate
SGOT
SGPT
Routine Urine
Routine Stool Test

It is also recommended that a prospective driver undergo an eye examination to ensure that his vision is good. A driver with poor eyesight will probably be reluctant to admit this for fear of losing his job. However, most expat employers are happy to provide glasses for a driver who needs them in order to ensure their family’s safety.

Look for a medical clinic that gives the results of the medical tests direct to you, not to the potential employee.

Our thanks to International SOS and Colliers International for their generous contribution of this article!
Housing and schooling information for expats in Indonesia expatriate website for Indonesia Indonesian language translation of article
Practical Information for foreigners, expats and expatriates moving to Indonesia - find out about housing, schooling, transport, shopping and more to prepare you for your stay in Indonesia

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