They were prepared after discussions with the Thai and the Bangladeshi embassies and have been distributed to every polyclinic. The dictionaries have been of immense help to the doctors as they not only have simple translations for medical terms but also have translations for past medical conditions, duration of illnesses, different types of medication available and how to use them effectively. The dictionaries have simple translations on how to ensure food and water hygiene. In this way, health workers can promote preventive health care in the foreign workers, which is very important to prevent recurrence of the disease. On top of that, we also use other supportive measures.
Doctors exercise a high degree of caution when dealing with foreign workers.
The reason is that the patient may have symptoms referable to the other organ systems but may not be able to explain that to us sufficiently. We also contact the worker's employer regarding the patient's usual demeanour so that the doctor can determine how sick the foreign worker is. This gives the doctor an idea of the severity of the illness. Lately, we have noticed that some foreign workers have been returning to our clinic to request repeat consultations with the doctor who saw them previously. This is a very encouraging sign as it shows that the workers trust the doctor.