Despite the fact that mandatory health check-ups will no longer push through, it doesn’t mean that we should disregard our physical health. After all, how can we enjoy everything we’ve accomplished at work when we’re no longer physically well to do so?
It is for this reason that OFWs should be more responsible enough in looking after their health, especially since most of the time we are the only ones working overseas without any family or relatives who can check on us every now and then.
POLO Provides Free Health Check-ups for OFWs in HK
Healthy or otherwise, we should always be on the lookout for small signs that there may be something wrong with our bodies. This will only be possible when we visit a health professional who is capable of performing general health check-ups, and this may cost us a few bucks.
But the good news is, the Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Hong Kong has come up with an initiative to offer free health check-ups, as shared in a report by the Sun.
It all started when the government agency offered free blood pressure monitoring and blood tests, from which they discovered that a number of our kababayan have above normal findings indicative of lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes – both considered fatal if left untreated or uncontrolled. Others were even found to have high levels of uric acid which predisposes them to arthritis, and others in early stages of cancer.
With these simple tests, a number of health conditions have already been screened. This is exactly the reason why having regular health checks (even mandatory) will only prove to be helpful, especially for OFWs who, mostly work to the bone in order to earn just enough to support their families back home. But if we are not going to prioritize our health, then all our hardwork and sacrifices will be for naught in the long run.