The SUN HK : One Filipina in coma, two others dead from aneurysm

By Daisy CL Mandap

Two Filipina domestic workers in Hong Kong, both relatively young, died on the same day last week due to aneurysm.

The news, which was first relayed to the online group, Domestic Workers Corner, was confirmed by Welfare Officer Marivic Clarin of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Clarin (front, in printed shirt) with DWC officers and guests at a Know Your Rights seminar in OWWA

The confirmation came as another Filipina worker was reportedly rushed earlier today to the United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong where she remains in a coma.

It appears that the worker, Ruth A., had suffered from a massive stroke.

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DWC founder Rodelia Villar said she had already relayed the news about the worker’s condition to OWWA and Acting Labor Attache Antonio Villafuerte.

Meanwhile the two other OFWs reportedly died within hours of each other on Nov. 27, in two separate hospitals in Hong Kong.

The first, Alma, who was 48 years old, was declared dead on arrival at Ruttonjee Hospital in Wanchai.

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The second, Rachel, was just 41. She suffered from a massive hemorrhagic stroke or brain aneurysm on Nov. 26 and was rushed to Tuen Mun Hospital where she died the next day.

Doctors reportedly told her employer that the bleeding in her brain was so severe there was no chance that she’d survive.

Clarin said the employers of both workers have been cooperating with OWWA in arranging for the repatriation of the remains.

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Both workers also have relatives in Hong Kong who are coordinating the repatriation. Alma’s daughter and Rachel’s sister-in-law both work here as domestic helpers.

Clarin has advised all OFWs to always look after their health as Hong Kong tends to have a high rate of illnesses among Filipino migrants compared with other host countries abroad.

A tally Clarin has made of cases reported to OWWA Hong Kong between last year and this year shows that a total of 465 Filipino workers have sought help after getting sick or injured.

Of this number, the biggest number involved cardio and brain-related illnesses (mostly stroke and aneurysm) which had a total of 116 cases: 55 last year and 61 so far this year.

But the biggest spike in the number of illnesses pertained to breast cancer, which more than doubled over the past year, from 5 in 2018 to 14 so far this year, for a 180% increase.

A total of 36 of gynecological-related cancer cases, such as ovarian and cervical, were recorded over the same period. However, there was a drop in the number of cases year-on-year, from 21 to 15.

Other cancer cases, such as that occurring in the blood or colon, also went up significantly, from 16 to 33, for a 106% increase.

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