BEIRUT: Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil issued a decision Friday imposing mandatory medical examinations for all workers involved in the handling and manufacturing of food items.

“All the workers who deal with food items will have to undergo a clinical checkup and physical examinations. They would then be issued a health certificate that proves that they have no infectious diseases in order to continue working,” Khalil said.

“The medical examinations should be done every six months,” he added. The examinations will include comprehensive laboratory tests and X-rays. Khalil added that the workers would be treated in public hospitals at the expense of their employers.