Socso to provide test kits for 900k foreign workers
December 1, 2020 @ 9:10am
KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) will provide test kits for about 900,000 foreign workers, who are contributors to the body, for the Covid-19 Screening Programme for Foreign Workers, starting today.
"Socso will provide test kits for only one RTK Antigen test for each foreign worker. Foreign workers who have undergone Covid-19 screening through the RT-PCR method are allowed to undergo the RTK Antigen screening test this time around.
"However, any subsequent test will not be covered by Socso, including the confirmatory RT-PCR test, if a person tests positive for the RTK Antigen test," it told the New Straits Times yesterday.
It said panel clinics registered under its Covid-19 Screening Programme were free to determine their service fees.
"The service fee, which includes sampling and testing, is determined by the private healthcare facilities.
"Socso, however, hopes private healthcare facilities will not charge exorbitant fees and they should consider it as a social responsibility," it said.
On Nov 27, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said all foreign workers must undergo Covid-19 screening.
This followed a spike in Covid-19 cases linked to workers at construction sites and factories, particularly the Teratai cluster, the Damanlela construction site and Awan Baru construction site clusters.
Ismail Sabri said Socso would bear the cost of the test kit (RM60) only for the first test, while employers were required to bear the cost of clinic or hospital services.
He said the Human Resources Ministry would enforce the Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990, and errant employers would be fined RM50,000 per worker.
Since June 1, employers were allowed to claim a subsidy of RM150 for each screening undertaken by their employees who are Socso contributors under Socso's Prihatin Screening Programme.