<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Home > News > Home > Story
</TR>
<TR>Aug 31, 2008
VIEWPOINT
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Answers needed on twins' fund
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Salma Khalik
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Jamuna with her uncle outside her home in Kathmandy. She has to wear a cap when she goes out to protect her hand - and to avoid curious stares. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Just who is taking care of the money raised for Ganga and Jamuna? And who decides how much can be taken out for what purpose?
In 2001, the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) collected the money amounting to over $660,000, and in the past had always responded to queries about the funds.
Its spokesman had never wavered from its position that the hospital, where the marathon operation to separate them took place, was the custodian.
Over the years, the hospital has also said that the money, now totalling $58,000 in a bank account, would be released only for 'appropriate' medical treatment.
Earlier this month, Professor Ang Chong Lye, the hospital's chief executive officer, told The Straits Times: 'SGH is ready to reimburse Kathmandu Model Hospital for Ganga's last hospitalisation, upon presentation of the hospital bill.'
With all that has been made public, it was a bit of a surprise to hear Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan tell Parliament last week that neither SGH nor his ministry has a hand in managing the money.
He disclosed that the money is controlled by the Nepalese Twins Fund Disbursement Committee.
Even Dr Keith Goh, one of the lead surgeons in the original surgery that separated the twins, had thought the money was in SGH's hands.
When Dr Goh brought both girls back for treatment in 2005, he wrote to then-SGH chief executive officer Tan Ser Kiat for reimbursement of the $25,000 bill.
He said: 'I've always dealt with Prof Tan. I didn't even know that such a committee existed.'
SGH agreed to pay $13,000 - covering only Ganga's treatment at B2 rates for private patients. It felt Jamuna's treatment could have been done in Nepal.
When asked by The Straits Times then, the hospital spokesman said that 'as a trustee of the funds donated by the public' it needed to 'conserve the funds for the twins' long-term care'.
There was no mention then of a Nepalese Twins Fund Disbursement Committee.
Asked about the composition of the committee following Mr Khaw's parliamentary disclosure, SGH said it comprises the Nepalese Honorary Consul, Mr M.N. Swami, and three SingHealth employees.
SGH stressed that the three - chairman of its medical board Ng Han Seong, chief financial officer Wong Loong Kin and Dr Chumpon Chan of the National Neuroscience Institute - are on the committee in their personal capacity.
It said Mr Wong and Dr Chan were appointed in 2005, while Professor Ng took over from Professor Tay Boon Keng, his predecessor on the hospital's medical board.
Contacted last week, Mr Swami said he had sat on meetings in the past but could not remember who else was on the committee or when they last met.
The committee's existence came to light when Mr Khaw was replying to Mr Baey Yam Keng, an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, who had asked if SGH and his ministry would release money for Jamuna's treatment.
He noted that newspaper reports had said that Dr Goh had asked for funds to treat her.
But Mr Khaw replied that SGH had not received a request from Dr Goh, or any other doctor, to release funds for Jamuna's treatment.
The minister then suggested that Mr Baey check his facts and added that not all reports were accurate.
He said: 'Like the Member, I also read the report in the newspaper. So here is an example of not all reports are factual, so you have to double-check your facts. And the facts are as what I've presented in my reply just now.'
But a Sunday Times check with SGH confirmed that it had received a funding request from Dr Goh last month.
Its spokesman said: 'SGH has promptly asked him to furnish the proposed treatment plan for Jamuna, which will be forwarded to the Nepalese Twins Fund Disbursement Committee for its evaluation.''
More than $660,000 was raised in 2001 from a generous public who wanted to give the twins, born joined at the top of their heads, a chance at a normal life.
About $600,000 went to SGH in payment for the five-day surgery that separated them, and for their 11-month stay that included preparation for the operation and recovery from it.
Since then, there have been sporadic calls on the funds. They include a trip by two doctors in 2002 to Kathmandu to check on how the girls were doing; having a shunt put into Ganga's head at East Shore Hospital in 2005; and recently, for the intensive care Ganga received in a private hospital in Nepal just before her death.
One question that bears asking is how the committee decides on when funds should be disbursed.
Will there be a public accounting every year of the balance of the money, now sitting in a bank account in the hospital's name?
One criterion for release seems to be a peg to B2 rates when treatment is done here. Another is whether the care can be provided for in Nepal instead of Singapore.
It also appears that after-care treatment, like physiotherapy, is not covered by these funds since the family says Jamuna's sessions had to be stopped because they couldn't afford the taxi fare to hospital.
It's time the committee set out its purpose clearly and unambiguously so its duties and actions are transparent to all. Send your comments to [email protected]
</TR>
<TR>Aug 31, 2008
VIEWPOINT
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Answers needed on twins' fund
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Salma Khalik
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Jamuna with her uncle outside her home in Kathmandy. She has to wear a cap when she goes out to protect her hand - and to avoid curious stares. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->Just who is taking care of the money raised for Ganga and Jamuna? And who decides how much can be taken out for what purpose?
In 2001, the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) collected the money amounting to over $660,000, and in the past had always responded to queries about the funds.
Its spokesman had never wavered from its position that the hospital, where the marathon operation to separate them took place, was the custodian.
Over the years, the hospital has also said that the money, now totalling $58,000 in a bank account, would be released only for 'appropriate' medical treatment.
Earlier this month, Professor Ang Chong Lye, the hospital's chief executive officer, told The Straits Times: 'SGH is ready to reimburse Kathmandu Model Hospital for Ganga's last hospitalisation, upon presentation of the hospital bill.'
With all that has been made public, it was a bit of a surprise to hear Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan tell Parliament last week that neither SGH nor his ministry has a hand in managing the money.
He disclosed that the money is controlled by the Nepalese Twins Fund Disbursement Committee.
Even Dr Keith Goh, one of the lead surgeons in the original surgery that separated the twins, had thought the money was in SGH's hands.
When Dr Goh brought both girls back for treatment in 2005, he wrote to then-SGH chief executive officer Tan Ser Kiat for reimbursement of the $25,000 bill.
He said: 'I've always dealt with Prof Tan. I didn't even know that such a committee existed.'
SGH agreed to pay $13,000 - covering only Ganga's treatment at B2 rates for private patients. It felt Jamuna's treatment could have been done in Nepal.
When asked by The Straits Times then, the hospital spokesman said that 'as a trustee of the funds donated by the public' it needed to 'conserve the funds for the twins' long-term care'.
There was no mention then of a Nepalese Twins Fund Disbursement Committee.
Asked about the composition of the committee following Mr Khaw's parliamentary disclosure, SGH said it comprises the Nepalese Honorary Consul, Mr M.N. Swami, and three SingHealth employees.
SGH stressed that the three - chairman of its medical board Ng Han Seong, chief financial officer Wong Loong Kin and Dr Chumpon Chan of the National Neuroscience Institute - are on the committee in their personal capacity.
It said Mr Wong and Dr Chan were appointed in 2005, while Professor Ng took over from Professor Tay Boon Keng, his predecessor on the hospital's medical board.
Contacted last week, Mr Swami said he had sat on meetings in the past but could not remember who else was on the committee or when they last met.
The committee's existence came to light when Mr Khaw was replying to Mr Baey Yam Keng, an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, who had asked if SGH and his ministry would release money for Jamuna's treatment.
He noted that newspaper reports had said that Dr Goh had asked for funds to treat her.
But Mr Khaw replied that SGH had not received a request from Dr Goh, or any other doctor, to release funds for Jamuna's treatment.
The minister then suggested that Mr Baey check his facts and added that not all reports were accurate.
He said: 'Like the Member, I also read the report in the newspaper. So here is an example of not all reports are factual, so you have to double-check your facts. And the facts are as what I've presented in my reply just now.'
But a Sunday Times check with SGH confirmed that it had received a funding request from Dr Goh last month.
Its spokesman said: 'SGH has promptly asked him to furnish the proposed treatment plan for Jamuna, which will be forwarded to the Nepalese Twins Fund Disbursement Committee for its evaluation.''
More than $660,000 was raised in 2001 from a generous public who wanted to give the twins, born joined at the top of their heads, a chance at a normal life.
About $600,000 went to SGH in payment for the five-day surgery that separated them, and for their 11-month stay that included preparation for the operation and recovery from it.
Since then, there have been sporadic calls on the funds. They include a trip by two doctors in 2002 to Kathmandu to check on how the girls were doing; having a shunt put into Ganga's head at East Shore Hospital in 2005; and recently, for the intensive care Ganga received in a private hospital in Nepal just before her death.
One question that bears asking is how the committee decides on when funds should be disbursed.
Will there be a public accounting every year of the balance of the money, now sitting in a bank account in the hospital's name?
One criterion for release seems to be a peg to B2 rates when treatment is done here. Another is whether the care can be provided for in Nepal instead of Singapore.
It also appears that after-care treatment, like physiotherapy, is not covered by these funds since the family says Jamuna's sessions had to be stopped because they couldn't afford the taxi fare to hospital.
It's time the committee set out its purpose clearly and unambiguously so its duties and actions are transparent to all. Send your comments to [email protected]
