Authorities Working on Managing & Improving Mental Health of Migrant Workers

In the face of COVID-19, which has overtaken global headlines, the migrant worker groups in Singapore have been particularly spotlighted on for the rapid spread of the virus amongst them due to poor dormitory conditions.

While this brought up awareness about the struggles that migrant workers face in such unsatisfactory living conditions, many were concerned about the physical health of the migrant workers.

However, besides ensuring that the physical health conditions of the migrant workers were being taken care of and measures put in place to improve their overall environment, the mental health conditions of these workers should also not be overlooked.

And thankfully, the government is also taking steps to manage migrant workers’ mental health in addition to their physical health.

Many Self-Harm Incidents

In recent weeks, there have been one too many videos and photos going around social media showing migrant workers in dangerous, life-threatening situations such as perching on the edges of buildings and ledges.

Incidents of unnatural death have also been reported in recent months, including the 46-year-old Indian migrant worker who had contracted COVID-19 and was found unconscious at the stairwell of Khoo Teck Puat hospital. He passed away from his injuries instead of the virus.

Another 37-year-old Indian migrant worker was found dead at Sungei Tengah Lodge, one of the largest dormitories, just recently on 24 July as well.

Associate Professor Kenneth Mak, who is a director of medical services at the Ministry of Health (MOH), said at a task force press conference yesterday that such self-harm and attempted self-harm incidents are causes for concern, and that they are well aware of them.

He ensured that the task force is “committed to making sure that the mental health needs of the migrant workers are looked into, supported — not just now, but that there is a sustainable framework that would continue in the dormitories even after the outbreak comes under control within the dormitories.”

Concerns About Migrant Workers’ Isolation 

For people like us, being stuck at home in quarantine during the Circuit Breaker period would have already taken a huge toll on our mental state, with minimal social interactions with people other than our family members.

Migrant workers also face isolation, for there are “very tight regimes” in the dormitories that these workers live in, and they are unable to enter the community at free will.

“Prolonged periods of isolation will obviously have potential adverse effects on any individual, not just a migrant worker, but anyone who has to be cooped up in isolation, where there are limited opportunities for social interaction,” Prof Mak commented, expressing concern for the workers.

He also added that the inter-agency task force includes a workgroup that specialises in mental health problems, which had worked with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) as well as social workers, psychologists and the like across various sectors to ensure support for the migrant workers in different aspects.

The team has implemented various schemes and methods to provide help to migrant workers, including allowing the migrant workers to celebrate some holidays within the dorms itself, in line with isolation regimes, aimed at making their stay at the dorms meaningful.

Helplines are also provided to the workers in the form of phone numbers for them to call if they ever needed help, and were encouraged to step forward if they require counselling.

Will Restrictions Be Eased?

With the Ministry of Health aiming to clear all the workers’ dormitories of possible COVID-19 infections by today (7 August 2020), many were curious about whether the current restrictions on migrant workers’ movements will be loosened soon.

Prof Mak responded that various factors would have to be considered first, citing examples of there possibly being residual cases in the community. Simply put, after some migrant workers were isolated, tested and cleared, they still tested positive for COVID-19 even after being in isolation for close to a month.

More testing and clearing would be required to completely weed out the virus, and that they will be closely monitoring the situation before loosening restrictions, he added, affirming that the force will definitely look into doing so eventually.

“We will plan and stage that step by step to ensure that this is done in a safe manner for the workers themselves, and also for the community at large,” Prof Mak ensured.