There are 23 Vietnamese nationals currently working in the Republic of Congo, which has been added to the list of countries dealing with the Ebola outbreak, according to an official from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Welfares (Molisa).
Tong Hai Nam, deputy head of the Overseas Labour Management Department
Tong Hai Nam, deputy head of the Overseas Labour Management Department, said that Congo has just become the 6th country to join the list of Ebola-affected countries, along with five other West African nations.
The department has asked companies employing these laboruers to give the most recent prevention information. Most of the Vietnamese citizens wish to return to home, but, to date, the responsibility lies on their employers.
According to Vietnamese law, companies employing Vietnamese nationals in the country are required to cooperate with the Vietnamese agencies and representatives in that country to provide information and assistance and report back to Molisa, Nam added.
In the case that a Vietnamese national shows symptoms of Ebola, their employers and the Vietnamese diplomatic agencies aboard must report the situation to local heath officials for quarantine and treatment.
In the case that any citizen of Vietnam wishes to return home for fear of catching the virus, they are recommended to contact their employer and their Vietnamese representatives in the country for assistance.
Hai also noted that, under most contracts between foreign employers and Vietnamese nationals, there is a clause which places the onus on employers for the return of employees in case of natural disasters or epidemics.
