The members of the Healthcare Advisory Panel from Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has issued a press statement which express their support in Health Minister Gan Kim Yong’s acknowledgment about high healthcare costs in Singapore and that Mr Gan has taken some measures to ease such costs for Singaporeans.

Prof Paul Tambyah, Dr Patrick Kee, Dr Leong Yan Hoi and Dr Wong Wee Nam jointly highlight their approval in particularly, the measures of making some parts of the recommended National Vaccination program for children free, the removal of the administrative charges for some Medisave use, and the promise to review healthcare costs for the people.

However they feel that these proposed changes seem to be piecemeal measures that do not tackle the fundamental issues in Singapore’s healthcare system. They state that the current 3M system of Medisave, Medishield and Medifund will continue to leave a heavy financial burden on Singaporeans.

They proposed that in place of the current 3M system, there should be risk pooling in a national health insurance scheme which authorizes evidence-based healthcare.

“Healthcare provided through such national insurance coverage will make our system universal.We must jettison the mindset of equating government healthcare expenditure with welfare and waste. Healthcare is a basic human right, not a commodity. Spending on the people’s health is an investment worth making.” said in the press statement.

They proposed to the Ministry that the government should take up  70 percent of the total health care expenditure (THE) in Singapore which the developed countries are practicing, instead of the current 30 percent of the total health care expenditure to  help ease the financial pressure on Singaporeans.

They wish to remind Singaporeans that Medisave is part of the CPF savings and that the funds are quickly depleted when medical bills pile up. The more it is used, the lesser they would have for their retirement.

The panel states that the only way to make healthcare affordable and sustainable is to adopt the national insurance scheme proposed in the party’s SDP National Healthcare Plan: Caring For All Singaporeans.

 

You May Also Like

Let the people judge

In his book, Tan Wah Piow refutes allegations of being a “Marxist”. Andrew Loh.

Eye on politics – pre-CNY walkabouts, and well-wishes to PM

Opposition political parties have been up and about last weekend, presumably visiting…

被判囚26个月加三鞭 狼师趁课外活动非礼男生

37岁教师借着负责课外活动之便,对七名男孩伸出安禄山之爪,被判两年零两个月的徒刑及三鞭刑。 为了保护年幼的受害者,被告、学校及相关课外活动等讯息都被谕令不可刊登。 面对三项侮辱暴行的控状,被告表示认罪,他还有另外六项控状还交由法官考量中。 据法庭文件显示,被告负责教导数门科目,且负责一个制服团体的课外活动。他被控于2015年、2016年和2017年期间,非礼了七名14岁,都是他所负责的制服团体参与者的男孩。 他是在一次提出要在放学后,开车送一名男孩回家时,首次犯案。 多次出言恐吓受害者 当时,男孩坐在前排的乘客座位上,被告就询问男孩是否有看过色情影片,令男孩吓了一跳,而被告在男孩回答之前,还用手做出手淫的淫秽动作。 抵达男孩住家外时,被告突然非礼男孩,还表示“只是玩玩,不要告诉其他的老师”。男孩当时很害怕且不知该如何反应,随后就下车离开了。 一年后,被告再次对另一名男孩下手。这名男孩当时因为缺席课外活动,被处罚跪在地上打扫健身房,被告就乘机,突然自后方抱紧男孩。 男孩感到非常不舒服,尝试挣脱时,被告却将手伸到其衣服内非礼他,令男孩当场受到惊吓,感到沮丧且不知该怎么办。被告则对男孩说,“这里发生的一切,只能保留在这里”。 男孩最后退出了该制服团体。 被告在2017年时,假学校体育馆内,对一名正在使用健身滚轴的男孩下手。被告当时询问受害者能够在滚轴的帮助下,降到多低,并表示会帮助受害者,跟着就将手放在受害者的身体下方。…

关心受化学污染影响居民安危 本地喜剧演员越堤送口罩

马来西亚柔佛州巴西古当金金河闹出化学废料污染事件,搞得当地人民心惶惶,邻近地区的人民也直言怕怕,但是新加坡喜剧演员Fakkah Fuzz则选择雪中送炭,越过长堤送口罩,获得网民纷纷按赞。 Fakkah Fuzz是在12日傍晚透过推特询问巴西古当居民,有关当地的情况,并表示愿意给予援手。当时就有网民回复,指巴西古当当地居民面对口罩短缺问题。也有网民表示,他们现在只能够用医用口罩,但是需要“更适合”的口罩。 随后Fakkah Fuzz在13日清晨时分就发文表示,将到巴西古当马拉工艺学院大学(UiTM)派发N95的口罩,并表示会沿路购买,增加口罩数量。有网民当时就要求他到巴西布爹综合大礼堂进行口罩派发,因为当地居民也非常需要口罩。 因此Fakkah Fuzz随后更新路程,并表示会到两个地区进行口罩派发。跟着,他在随后的发文中指出,无法抵达马拉工艺大学学院派发口罩,对此感到抱歉,并表示会再择日到马拉工艺大学学院派发口罩。 呼吁更多人参与支援 在14日凌晨1时15分,他上传了一张派发口罩的照片,留言道:“安全抵达巴西古当!更多的救援在路上了,坚强吧朋友!谢谢所有参与贡献的朋友!” Alhamdulillah we…