UK Pre-departure Health Screening Centre opens in Chittagong

It would help know whether an intending visitor has infectious Tuberculosis (TB), a pre-requisite for migration to the UK, sources said.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Sensive, a local leading diagnostic centre, will jointly implement the programme.

Md Shahidul Haq, Southasian regional representative of IOM, formally launched the third health screening centre at Sensive diagnostic centre after Dhaka and Sylhet.

Sensive Chairman Dr Moinul Islam, Consultant physician of UK TB Detection Programme Frank D Gutmann, IOM National Manager in Bangladesh Nazmul Haq and local British Visa processing centre representative Parvez Mohammad were present on the occasion.

Under the programme, anyone aged 11 years or more who has applied for visa or entry clearance to stay in the UK for more than six months must obtain an IOM health certificate confirming that the concerned applicant is free from Tuberculosis.

The UK government took up the programme as TB emerged as an increasingly health hazard in that country.

Md Shahidul Haq said the programme would help intending persons get long-term migration on one hand and the UK government to have a control over the feared impact of TB on its people on the other.

The detection of TB before migration would also help one get treatment in the country which would cost several times less than what would be required in the UK, he added.

The screening for TB detection would cost TK 3,700 per person.