About Wafid Program
In order to maintain the health security of the GCC community, the GCC Health Ministers’ Council, in its 38th conference in Sha’ban 1415 AH (corresponding to January 1995), issued a decision to establish a program for conducting medical examinations for expatriates entering the GCC countries. Committees were formed to set the health requirements and medical examination regulations for expatriates, and to determine the clinical assessments, laboratory tests, and radiological examinations necessary to ensure their physical and mental health, and to confirm that they are free from diseases, particularly infectious diseases, that could threaten the security and safety of the Gulf community. Since its establishment, the GCC Health Council has worked in collaboration with member states to expand the scope of the Wafid Program to include most labor-exporting countries.
Mission
Developing cooperation and coordination among member states in the preventive health fields for expatriates to the GCC states.
Vision
Creating a preventive system for the Gulf community that follows the highest quality standards in conducting medical examinations for expatriates.
خصائص البرنامج
Wafid Program umbrella
Since its establishment in 1995, the program has expanded to cover 29 countries, with 574 accredited health centers
Program components
The program is based on the medical examination list for expatriates to the GCC countries, which has been updated more than once since the launch of the program, the last of which was in October 2023.
The system provides the following:
– An electronic database for the expatriates listed on it
– Accurate information and statistics on diseases, inappropriate cases, and hotspots of disease and epidemic outbreaks
– The speed of procedures in issuing the visa by the concerned authorities
– Avoiding material and psychological costs for both the expatriate and the employer as a result of bringing in inappropriate cases to the GCC countries
– Issuance of a health fitness certificate attached to a barcode
– Reporting inappropriate cases discovered in the GCC states
Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Cooperation Council
In view of the importance of this vital program in maintaining the health security of the GCC states, Paragraph 18 (f) in the economic and development affairs item of the final statement of the Supreme Council in its session No. 37, which was held in the Kingdom of Bahrain from 6-7 December 2016, stated:
– Commitment of the embassies and consulates of the GCC countries and the relevant authorities to ensure the health of the expatriates through the electronic link system for the expatriate examination program for the GCC countries.
– Not to deal with health centers that are not accredited by the GCC Health Council
Program Goals
Ensuring that expatriate workers are fit and fit to work in the GCC countries, in terms of their health, for what they are recruited for, and that they are free from chronic diseases, as they constitute an economic burden on the recruiters.
Take appropriate health measures to ensure that expatriates for work or residence are free from infectious diseases that pose a threat to their contacts, threatening the security and safety of Gulf society.