• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Make patients comfortable: Health Minister

by Andrew Loh
09/01/2014
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

bc
By Andrew Loh
In response to a Straits Times report on the “severe” bed crunch faced by hospitals here,  the Health Ministry yesterday said it has “ has instructed all public hospitals to make patients feel comfortable and ensure their safety while they are being treated.” (TODAY)
In its report on Wednesday (8 Jan 2014), the Straits Times said that Changi General Hospital (CGH) has resorted to housing some of its patients in makeshift tents, and that Tan Tock Seng Hospital is putting its patients in corridors. Patients are also sent to other hospitals, including private ones.
Gan Kim Yong, the Minister for the Health Ministry, said on Thursday, “Right now, we are actively working to tackle the current crunch in a few public hospitals, such as tapping on available bed capacity in other public hospitals, as well as facilitating the timely discharge of patients to available beds in the community hospitals, or with the help of homecare providers.”
He also said that the shortage of hospital beds could be due to several factors, including increased demands because of Singapore’s ageing population.
In the Straits Times report, it was suggested that the shortfall might be due to the “holiday season”, according to Dr Chia Shi Lu, Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC and a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Health.
His view was supported by Mr Liak Teng Lit, head of Alexandra Health, which runs the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. He said that some patients decline to be discharged because “some say their families are on holiday, and there is no one at home to take care of them.”
The two men’s views, however, have been criticised by the public. Dr Chia’s claims that the bed shortage might be due to the “holiday season” were met with derision. While some agree that there might indeed be those who would leave their loved ones in the hospital and go on holiday, they question if this was so rampant that it has caused what the Straits Times described as a “severe” bed crunch.
It is also unclear if such a phenomenon has occurred in previous years, although the shortage has been reported in each of the last 3 to 5 years.
The MOH, in its statement on Thursday, did not say that the shortage was due to the holiday season.
Still, Singaporeans have expressed concerns that the country’s healthcare system may be under serious strains not only because of the ageing population, but also from other factors, such as the presence of a larger foreigner population, and the increased demands from medical tourism.
Last year, it was reported that 30 per cent of foreign patients sought treatment in public hospitals. According to the Singapore Tourism Board, “tourists spent close to $1 billion on medical treatments here in 2011 – an increase over the two previous years”.
Mr Edwin Lim, writing to the Straits Times in February last year, echoed many Singaporeans’ feelings about this.
“[Public] hospitals should remain ‘public’ and not be profit-oriented,” he said.
“They should focus on giving priority to Singaporeans seeking medical treatment, and not seek profits to the extent that efficient public health services for Singaporeans are compromised.”
In the meantime, perhaps some relief is on its way – the new 700-bed Ng Teng Fong General Hospital is slated to open later this year.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Malaysian court sentences man to 1,050 years’ jail, 24 strokes of the cane, for raping stepdaughter 105 times
AFP

Thai court jails activist for 28 years jail for royal defamation

26/01/2023
Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall
Community

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

26/01/2023
KKH’s lack of continuous monitoring baby’s vital signs “was not ideal”, said State Coroner
Health

KKH’s lack of continuous monitoring baby’s vital signs “was not ideal”, said State Coroner

26/01/2023
Dozens of COVID protesters still behind bars in China: HRW
AFP

Dozens of COVID protesters still behind bars in China: HRW

26/01/2023
8 dead, including 6 Chinese nationals, after ship sinks near Japan
AFP

8 dead, including 6 Chinese nationals, after ship sinks near Japan

26/01/2023
“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉
Health

Nurse disabled permanently after vaccine injury and sacked by SGH; Did the hospital advise her to apply for VIFAP?

26/01/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Malaysian court sentences man to 1,050 years’ jail, 24 strokes of the cane, for raping stepdaughter 105 times

Thai court jails activist for 28 years jail for royal defamation

26/01/2023
Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

26/01/2023
KKH’s lack of continuous monitoring baby’s vital signs “was not ideal”, said State Coroner

KKH’s lack of continuous monitoring baby’s vital signs “was not ideal”, said State Coroner

26/01/2023
Dozens of COVID protesters still behind bars in China: HRW

Dozens of COVID protesters still behind bars in China: HRW

26/01/2023
8 dead, including 6 Chinese nationals, after ship sinks near Japan

8 dead, including 6 Chinese nationals, after ship sinks near Japan

26/01/2023
“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉

Nurse disabled permanently after vaccine injury and sacked by SGH; Did the hospital advise her to apply for VIFAP?

26/01/2023
Man and 2-year-old daughter fell into hole in bridge at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, “seconds away from drowning”

Man and 2-year-old daughter fell into hole in bridge at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, “seconds away from drowning”

26/01/2023
Ruling on Trump ban marks defining moment for Facebook panel

Meta says Trump to be allowed back on Facebook, Instagram

26/01/2023

Trending posts

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
27

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
26

...

Make patients comfortable: Health Minister

by Andrew Loh
09/01/2014
0

...

“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉

AGC asked to explain purposes of 68 private letters of inmates illegitimately forwarded to prosecutors

by The Online Citizen
21/01/2023
16

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
34

...

“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉

Has HDB flats become “more affordable” by “selling” at a shorter lease of 50-years?

by Leong Szehian
25/01/2023
18

...

January 2014
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Dec   Feb »
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
  • Contact Us

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

wpDiscuz