Another OFW dies after stroke in Hong Kong
Consul Paul Saret
A Filipino domestic worker died this morning (August 7) in Chai Wan after suffering from a stroke, a consulate official said this afternoon.
Consul Paul Saret, head of the Assistance to Nationals Section, said the Filipina died at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital after she was brought there.
She is the fourth Filipino domestic worker to die in HK in the last three weeks and the 27th since the start of the year.
“She had been in the hospital since last week but she expired this morning,” Saret said in an interview.
“We are urging our kababayans to take good care of their health. They say the number of strokes usually increases during summer,” he said.
“So, take measures to prevent your blood pressure from going up and also regularly take your maintenance medicine if you have them,” he added.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of Hong Kong’s Department of Health earlier today reminded members of the public, particularly those undertaking outdoor activities, to take heed of necessary measures against heat stroke and sunburn in very hot weather.
“The public should carry and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration while engaging in outdoor activities,” a spokesman for the CHP said.
“Those engaged in strenuous outdoor activities should avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcohol, as they speed up water loss through the urinary system,” the spokesman explained.
“The obese, the sick, including those with heart disease or high blood pressure, the old and the young are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. They should pay special attention,” the spokesman added.
The Hong Kong Police earlier said that two Filipino domestic workers were confirmed to have died in Mid-Levels (on July 28) and Lohas Park (on August 2).
The police said their initial inquiry showed “no suspicious elements” in the deaths of the two Filipino women, aged 53 and 62. An official of the Philippine Consulate General earlier said that the two women might have died due to a heart attack.
“Police received a report from a 60-year-old woman at around 6:25pm on July 28, that her 62-year-old female domestic helper was found unconscious at her residence on Caine Road, Central,” the police said.
It said police officers arrived at the scene and the domestic helper was certified dead by the ambulance crew.
“No suspicious elements were detected,” the police said.
It added that the case was classified as “Dead Body Found” and is being handled by officers of the Central District.
Then in the morning of August 2, the police received a call about a 53-year-old Filipina domestic worker who was found unconscious in Tseung Kwan O.
“Police received a report from a 45-year-old woman at around 7:15 am on August 2, that her 53-year-old female domestic helper was found unconscious at her residence on Lohas Park Road, Tseung Kwan O,” the police said.
Investigators arrived at the scene and the domestic worker was brought to the Tseung Kwan O Hospital “in an unconscious state.”
“(She) was certified dead at 8:18 am on the same day. Initial enquiry revealed nothing suspicious,” the police said.
“The case is classified as ‘Person Collapsed – Death on Arrival” and is being handled by officers of Tseung Kwan O District,” it added.
Earlier on July 23, domestic worker Bernadett M. Natividad died in Kowloon after suffering from a severe hemorrhagic stroke.
According to data from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), stroke was the top cause of illness of OFWs repatriated from HK from 2014 to 2017.
Stroke victims comprised 36 percent of OFWs repatriated back to the Philippines, while those with cancer comprised 27 percent. The other illnesses reported were tuberculosis/ lung problems (13 percent), mild depression (21 percent), and fracture/ spinal problems (three percent), according to OWWA.
Labor Attache Nida Romulo said she would push for foreign domestic workers in HK to have mandatory annual check-ups.