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Serious Many Pappys don't like OngYK..not Team player.
- Thread starter SalahParking
- Start date
OYK thanks the SingPost team. 
Our fourth round of Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kit distribution began earlier this Monday.
In the coming weeks, over 1.5 million households will each receive 12 ART kits delivered directly to their letterbox.
Do remember to test yourself especially if you have just returned from overseas, are feeling unwell or visiting vulnerable persons. This is especially important as social interactions will increase during the year-end holiday season.
Many thanks to the SingPost team for their hard work delivering these kits. The year-end is also their peak period so we seek your patience and understanding as they go about making the deliveries.
Photos by Singapore Post
Ong Ye Kung
10 h ·Our fourth round of Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kit distribution began earlier this Monday.
In the coming weeks, over 1.5 million households will each receive 12 ART kits delivered directly to their letterbox.
Do remember to test yourself especially if you have just returned from overseas, are feeling unwell or visiting vulnerable persons. This is especially important as social interactions will increase during the year-end holiday season.
Many thanks to the SingPost team for their hard work delivering these kits. The year-end is also their peak period so we seek your patience and understanding as they go about making the deliveries.
Photos by Singapore Post
OYK wants children to enjoy learning. 
During my MPS this week, one of my senior volunteers brought his son along, and told us that his son scored an aggregate of 6 for his PSLE. Results were better than expected. There were happiness and congrats all round.
Then I asked ‘where would he like to go for secondary school?’ The father said with the score, maybe should go to a school with an Integrated Programme. The boy, however, said he wanted to go to the neighborhood school near his home so that he can sleep more. Father acknowledged the son’s preference, but felt that it was a waste for a score of 6 because the cut off for the neighbour good school was like a 9 or 10.
I told my volunteer, ‘surely it is not a waste if your son is happy in the school, can make good friends and sleep more?’. He seemed persuaded.
In any case, we run one of the most rigorous and well-designed education systems in the world. It is stressful to many, but through many stories and encounters like these, I think the mood amongst many parents and student is shifting. It is very important that we do so as a society, because children need to enjoy learning and their journey through schools.
Photo credit: The Straits Times
Ong Ye Kung
9 h ·During my MPS this week, one of my senior volunteers brought his son along, and told us that his son scored an aggregate of 6 for his PSLE. Results were better than expected. There were happiness and congrats all round.
Then I asked ‘where would he like to go for secondary school?’ The father said with the score, maybe should go to a school with an Integrated Programme. The boy, however, said he wanted to go to the neighborhood school near his home so that he can sleep more. Father acknowledged the son’s preference, but felt that it was a waste for a score of 6 because the cut off for the neighbour good school was like a 9 or 10.
I told my volunteer, ‘surely it is not a waste if your son is happy in the school, can make good friends and sleep more?’. He seemed persuaded.
In any case, we run one of the most rigorous and well-designed education systems in the world. It is stressful to many, but through many stories and encounters like these, I think the mood amongst many parents and student is shifting. It is very important that we do so as a society, because children need to enjoy learning and their journey through schools.
Photo credit: The Straits Times
OYK congratulates all award recipients. 
Ministry of Health, Singapore had our National Day Awards Investiture 2022 this week. We honoured 730 colleagues across the healthcare family for their dedication and contributions.
This year, as you know, is a very exceptional year, where colleagues had to battle through three COVID-19 infection waves, and supported the resumption to normalcy of Singapore.
There were awardees who left a deep impression. One example is the husband and wife duo - Muhammad Faizal Bin Zainal from National Skin Centre and Fauziah Binte Mohd Zin from National University Hospital - NUH both of whom were awarded the Long Service Medal.
Congratulations to all our award recipients and thank you for your service!
Ong Ye Kung
8 h ·Ministry of Health, Singapore had our National Day Awards Investiture 2022 this week. We honoured 730 colleagues across the healthcare family for their dedication and contributions.
This year, as you know, is a very exceptional year, where colleagues had to battle through three COVID-19 infection waves, and supported the resumption to normalcy of Singapore.
There were awardees who left a deep impression. One example is the husband and wife duo - Muhammad Faizal Bin Zainal from National Skin Centre and Fauziah Binte Mohd Zin from National University Hospital - NUH both of whom were awarded the Long Service Medal.
Congratulations to all our award recipients and thank you for your service!
OYK went for a run.
Started Sunday with a 5km run with >200 residents of Sembawang GRC. What started as a drizzle turned into a downpour. But we decided to brave the rain and carry on!
Thank you to the CSC/CSN in Sembawang GRC for organising this event for residents. Now, time for some Kopi-O Kosong and lunch.
#MakeSembwangSpecial
#HealthierSG
#OKwithOYK
Ong Ye Kung
7 h ·Started Sunday with a 5km run with >200 residents of Sembawang GRC. What started as a drizzle turned into a downpour. But we decided to brave the rain and carry on!
Thank you to the CSC/CSN in Sembawang GRC for organising this event for residents. Now, time for some Kopi-O Kosong and lunch.
#MakeSembwangSpecial
#HealthierSG
#OKwithOYK
from straitstimes.com:
(From left) Professor Wang Linfa, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Professor Tan Chorh Chuan at the launch of the programme on Nov 3, 2022. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
Lucas Tan
UPDATED
4 NOV 2022, 6:33 PM SGT
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SINGAPORE - Scientists and researchers played critical roles not just in treating patients amid the Covid-19 outbreak but also in determining policies.
Speaking at the launch of the Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and Response (Prepare), which will pull together pandemic experts from various fields to respond to future infectious disease outbreaks, Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung reflected on the role of research and science.
“Our years of investment in biomedical research, and our cumulation of experts across diverse fields, have paid off during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. Without that reservoir of capabilities and talent that was built up over the years, we would not have been able to respond to the pandemic as effectively as we have,” he said.
He added that the Covid-19 experience has enhanced Singapore’s preparedness against future disease outbreaks, with Prepare being one of the spearheads of future initiatives.
At the event on Thursday, Mr Ong lauded the achievements of a number of scientists, including Professor Wang Linfa from Duke-NUS Medical School. The world-renowned coronavirus expert and his team managed to isolate the Sars-CoV-2 virus within days of the first Covid-19 case.
Mr Ong said Prof Wang, who leads Prepare, laid the foundation for subsequent Covid-19 research, and provided important insights to help the Ministry of Health (MOH) formulate and adjust policies throughout the pandemic.
He also led a team of scientists from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and global biotech company GenScript to develop the first Sars-CoV-2 serology test, cPass. This portable test is easily able to test for antibodies, indicating the presence of the virus, without the need for special containment facilities.
The other scientists named are:
This finding was critical, said Mr Ong.
“It enabled us to move away from the practice of discharging Covid-19 patients upon a negative test result, which can take many days or weeks, to a policy of discharging a patient after a maximum of seven days,” he said.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
S'pore launches national R&D plan to respond to future pandemics
National epidemic programme sets target of 100 days to produce rapid test for future outbreaks
From local and international research data, they discovered that vaccination continues to provide strong protection against severe disease 10 to 12 months after three shots of mRNA vaccines.
The updated definition of vaccination states that individuals need to take an additional shot five to 12 months after their last shot to attain minimum protection.
This allowed the Republic to have early access to therapeutic drugs such as remdesivir.
Prof Lye was also a member of Singapore’s Covid-19 Therapeutics and Vaccines Expert Group, which engaged vaccine manufacturers, and recommended promising vaccines for early acquisition by the Republic.
Unsung heroes of Covid-19 research frontier commended for contributions to pandemic response
(From left) Professor Wang Linfa, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Professor Tan Chorh Chuan at the launch of the programme on Nov 3, 2022. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
Lucas Tan
UPDATED
4 NOV 2022, 6:33 PM SGT
FacebookTwitter
SINGAPORE - Scientists and researchers played critical roles not just in treating patients amid the Covid-19 outbreak but also in determining policies.
Speaking at the launch of the Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and Response (Prepare), which will pull together pandemic experts from various fields to respond to future infectious disease outbreaks, Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung reflected on the role of research and science.
“Our years of investment in biomedical research, and our cumulation of experts across diverse fields, have paid off during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. Without that reservoir of capabilities and talent that was built up over the years, we would not have been able to respond to the pandemic as effectively as we have,” he said.
He added that the Covid-19 experience has enhanced Singapore’s preparedness against future disease outbreaks, with Prepare being one of the spearheads of future initiatives.
At the event on Thursday, Mr Ong lauded the achievements of a number of scientists, including Professor Wang Linfa from Duke-NUS Medical School. The world-renowned coronavirus expert and his team managed to isolate the Sars-CoV-2 virus within days of the first Covid-19 case.
Mr Ong said Prof Wang, who leads Prepare, laid the foundation for subsequent Covid-19 research, and provided important insights to help the Ministry of Health (MOH) formulate and adjust policies throughout the pandemic.
He also led a team of scientists from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and global biotech company GenScript to develop the first Sars-CoV-2 serology test, cPass. This portable test is easily able to test for antibodies, indicating the presence of the virus, without the need for special containment facilities.
The other scientists named are:
Dr Sidney Yee, from the Diagnostics Development Hub; Dr Masafumi Inoue, from the Experimental Drug Development Centre at A*Star; Dr Sebastian Maurer-Stroh from A*Star’s Bioinformatics Institute, Dr Timothy Barkham from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and Ms Wong Woei Jiuang and Dr Rama Sethuraman from the Health Sciences Authority
They invented one of the world’s first Covid-19 diagnostics tests, Fortitude Kit, on Feb 7, 2020, developing it within three weeks of the publication of the Sars-CoV-2 genomic sequence. To date, more than seven million Fortitude Kits have been produced, and shipped to over 45 countries worldwide.Professor Lim Keng Hui, Professor Loh Xian Jun, Dr Kang Chang Wei and Dr Ivan Tan from A*Star
They used modelling techniques to understand flight trajectories of droplets spread. Their work aided public sector agencies and event providers in adopting effective safe management measures in public locations and on public transport.Associate Professor Barnaby Young from NCID and Professor Lisa Ng from A*Star
Their study analysing Covid-19 viral load levels showed that a few days after showing symptoms, the viral load dropped to relatively low levels, and the virus was no longer able to replicate.This finding was critical, said Mr Ong.
“It enabled us to move away from the practice of discharging Covid-19 patients upon a negative test result, which can take many days or weeks, to a policy of discharging a patient after a maximum of seven days,” he said.
Professor Alex Cook from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health
The expert in infectious disease modelling worked with MOH throughout the pandemic to provide projections of Covid-19 disease trajectory. His work was critical in the determination of the adequacy of Singapore’s healthcare capacity, and whether safe management measures needed to be tightened or relaxed.S'pore launches national R&D plan to respond to future pandemics
National epidemic programme sets target of 100 days to produce rapid test for future outbreaks
Researchers from the National Covid-19 Research Workgroup
They were key in formulating the definition of vaccination, Mr Ong said. The researchers studied the development of immunity in the local population following infections or vaccinations.From local and international research data, they discovered that vaccination continues to provide strong protection against severe disease 10 to 12 months after three shots of mRNA vaccines.
The updated definition of vaccination states that individuals need to take an additional shot five to 12 months after their last shot to attain minimum protection.
Professor David Lye from NCID
He actively engaged the United States’ National Institutes of Health to include Singapore as a global Covid-19 clinical trials site.This allowed the Republic to have early access to therapeutic drugs such as remdesivir.
Prof Lye was also a member of Singapore’s Covid-19 Therapeutics and Vaccines Expert Group, which engaged vaccine manufacturers, and recommended promising vaccines for early acquisition by the Republic.
from straitstimes.com:
Anticipating large numbers of patients from the Covid-19 XBB wave, public hospitals had ringfenced 800 beds. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Salma Khalik
Senior Health Correspondent
PUBLISHED
8 NOV 2022, 4:38 PM SGT
FacebookTwitter
SINGAPORE - Hospitals will no longer set aside entire wards for Covid-19 patients, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung told Parliament on Tuesday. This will free up beds that can be used by other patients and help ease the gridlock at emergency departments (ED), he said.
Mr Ong said the practice is no longer necessary as most of the population are vaccinated and have good protection against severe illness. Instead, hospitals will manage Covid-19 patients the same way as they do all other patients – based on the severity of their condition – while continuing with the practice of using isolation beds for patients assessed to be at risk of spreading infectious diseases.
“Hospitals will continue to exercise various precautionary measures on infection control, protect the vulnerable and prevent spreading of infectious diseases in hospitals,” he said.
“They have done so for many years for influenza, for all kinds of infectious diseases; they will apply the same measures now for Covid-19, but without setting aside entire wards.”
Responding to nine questions filed by MPs, he said that anticipating large numbers of patients from the Covid-19 XBB wave, public hospitals had ring-fenced 800 beds. But only about 80 per cent were used at peak, with as many as 300 beds empty off-peak.
“Although this is not a big number, it nevertheless constrains hospital operations and impedes the clearing of patients waiting for beds at the EDs,” said Mr Ong, adding that even a small mismatch in demand and supply of a couple of hundred beds will cause waiting times to spike significantly.
“This flexibility is important to our hospitals, to help them optimise the use of beds. In a crunch situation, it makes all the difference,” he said, while stressing that hospitals will continue with precautionary measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
The crowded conditions are being resolved, though this has not been easy to do in the middle of a pandemic. Successive waves of infection diverted attention and resources to fighting immediate fires, said Mr Ong.
Construction disruptions that delayed the opening of new medical facilities added to the woes. But new nursing homes are now opening following construction delays, he noted.
From the end of 2023, the Woodlands Health Campus and Tan Tock Seng Hospital Integrated Care Hub will also progressively open. With the expanded Singapore General Hospital Medical Campus, they will add 1,900 more public hospital beds in the next five years, said Mr Ong.
Meanwhile, the use of step-down facilities is being ramped up to alleviate the bed crunch. Patients in stable condition waiting to be discharged or transferred to a step-down facility like a nursing home are being moved out to Transitional Care Facilities (TCF).
TCFs are run by the private sector, in close partnership with a public hospital. Three TCFs with a total of 400 beds are already in use, with more being planned.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten) asked if TCFs cost more as they are run by the private sector. Mr Ong replied that they do not, as patients pay the same rates as in a public hospital.
In spite of the heavy workload at EDs, patients with life-threatening conditions are attended to immediately, said Mr Ong.
Emergency cases that are not life-threatening waited an average of 20 minutes to be seen by a doctor in the first nine months of 2022. In that period, half of the ED patients who needed to be hospitalised got a bed in about seven hours or less.
Compared with 2019, before the pandemic hit, the number of patients turning up at EDs has fallen by 16 per cent – from 2,500 a day to 2,100 a day.
But visits to EDs are volatile during a pandemic, added Mr Ong, with 600 more patients turning up at the peak of the Omicron and XBB waves – a 30 per cent spike to the ED workload.
“In absolute numbers, this is an increase of a few hundred patients every month. It is not huge but adds to the workload of the EDs,” he said.
The proportion of patients who went to EDs with very serious conditions and needing the most attention has also gone up, from 8 per cent in 2019 to 11 per cent in 2022, said Mr Ong.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC) asked about the backlog of elective surgical procedures delayed due to the pandemic. Mr Ong said this was not large, as only about 5 per cent to 10 per cent of such procedures were postponed in the latest wave, and will be cleared as soon as possible.
Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) asked if more home support can be given so that patients can be discharged earlier. Mr Ong replied that this is being looked at, alongside other alternatives such as nursing homes, step-down care and community hospitals. He noted that while home discharge frees up hospital beds, it is manpower-intensive and adds to the workload of nurses.
Mr Ong hoped that even if service levels drop and waiting times become longer, “our hospitals and healthcare workers will continue to receive the appreciation, understanding and support of all Singaporeans”.
Hospitals will stop setting aside whole wards for Covid-19 patients, freeing up beds: Ong Ye Kung
Anticipating large numbers of patients from the Covid-19 XBB wave, public hospitals had ringfenced 800 beds. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Salma Khalik
Senior Health Correspondent
PUBLISHED
8 NOV 2022, 4:38 PM SGT
FacebookTwitter
SINGAPORE - Hospitals will no longer set aside entire wards for Covid-19 patients, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung told Parliament on Tuesday. This will free up beds that can be used by other patients and help ease the gridlock at emergency departments (ED), he said.
Mr Ong said the practice is no longer necessary as most of the population are vaccinated and have good protection against severe illness. Instead, hospitals will manage Covid-19 patients the same way as they do all other patients – based on the severity of their condition – while continuing with the practice of using isolation beds for patients assessed to be at risk of spreading infectious diseases.
“Hospitals will continue to exercise various precautionary measures on infection control, protect the vulnerable and prevent spreading of infectious diseases in hospitals,” he said.
“They have done so for many years for influenza, for all kinds of infectious diseases; they will apply the same measures now for Covid-19, but without setting aside entire wards.”
Responding to nine questions filed by MPs, he said that anticipating large numbers of patients from the Covid-19 XBB wave, public hospitals had ring-fenced 800 beds. But only about 80 per cent were used at peak, with as many as 300 beds empty off-peak.
“Although this is not a big number, it nevertheless constrains hospital operations and impedes the clearing of patients waiting for beds at the EDs,” said Mr Ong, adding that even a small mismatch in demand and supply of a couple of hundred beds will cause waiting times to spike significantly.
“This flexibility is important to our hospitals, to help them optimise the use of beds. In a crunch situation, it makes all the difference,” he said, while stressing that hospitals will continue with precautionary measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
The crowded conditions are being resolved, though this has not been easy to do in the middle of a pandemic. Successive waves of infection diverted attention and resources to fighting immediate fires, said Mr Ong.
Construction disruptions that delayed the opening of new medical facilities added to the woes. But new nursing homes are now opening following construction delays, he noted.
From the end of 2023, the Woodlands Health Campus and Tan Tock Seng Hospital Integrated Care Hub will also progressively open. With the expanded Singapore General Hospital Medical Campus, they will add 1,900 more public hospital beds in the next five years, said Mr Ong.
Meanwhile, the use of step-down facilities is being ramped up to alleviate the bed crunch. Patients in stable condition waiting to be discharged or transferred to a step-down facility like a nursing home are being moved out to Transitional Care Facilities (TCF).
TCFs are run by the private sector, in close partnership with a public hospital. Three TCFs with a total of 400 beds are already in use, with more being planned.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten) asked if TCFs cost more as they are run by the private sector. Mr Ong replied that they do not, as patients pay the same rates as in a public hospital.
In spite of the heavy workload at EDs, patients with life-threatening conditions are attended to immediately, said Mr Ong.
Emergency cases that are not life-threatening waited an average of 20 minutes to be seen by a doctor in the first nine months of 2022. In that period, half of the ED patients who needed to be hospitalised got a bed in about seven hours or less.
Compared with 2019, before the pandemic hit, the number of patients turning up at EDs has fallen by 16 per cent – from 2,500 a day to 2,100 a day.
But visits to EDs are volatile during a pandemic, added Mr Ong, with 600 more patients turning up at the peak of the Omicron and XBB waves – a 30 per cent spike to the ED workload.
“In absolute numbers, this is an increase of a few hundred patients every month. It is not huge but adds to the workload of the EDs,” he said.
The proportion of patients who went to EDs with very serious conditions and needing the most attention has also gone up, from 8 per cent in 2019 to 11 per cent in 2022, said Mr Ong.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC) asked about the backlog of elective surgical procedures delayed due to the pandemic. Mr Ong said this was not large, as only about 5 per cent to 10 per cent of such procedures were postponed in the latest wave, and will be cleared as soon as possible.
Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) asked if more home support can be given so that patients can be discharged earlier. Mr Ong replied that this is being looked at, alongside other alternatives such as nursing homes, step-down care and community hospitals. He noted that while home discharge frees up hospital beds, it is manpower-intensive and adds to the workload of nurses.
Mr Ong hoped that even if service levels drop and waiting times become longer, “our hospitals and healthcare workers will continue to receive the appreciation, understanding and support of all Singaporeans”.
OYK commemorates World AIDS Day. 
Every 1 December, we commemorate World AIDS Day.
Whilst we have been united in facing the COVID-19 pandemic, we must also continue to deal with other diseases that we have been living with, such as HIV and AIDS.
Advancements in medicines have made HIV, once a disease with an inevitable terminal outcome, to a manageable one, similar to chronic diseases. Today, people living with HIV can be diagnosed and treated earlier, enabling them to live healthy, productive lives.
Testing has also come a long way. There are now rapid HIV tests which can produce results in 20 minutes.
These advances have been made possible by the generations of scientists, healthcare professionals and community groups who have worked unitedly for the cause.
Learn more about HIV and AIDS at go.gov.sg/preventhiv
Ong Ye Kung
7 h ·Every 1 December, we commemorate World AIDS Day.
Whilst we have been united in facing the COVID-19 pandemic, we must also continue to deal with other diseases that we have been living with, such as HIV and AIDS.
Advancements in medicines have made HIV, once a disease with an inevitable terminal outcome, to a manageable one, similar to chronic diseases. Today, people living with HIV can be diagnosed and treated earlier, enabling them to live healthy, productive lives.
Testing has also come a long way. There are now rapid HIV tests which can produce results in 20 minutes.
These advances have been made possible by the generations of scientists, healthcare professionals and community groups who have worked unitedly for the cause.
Learn more about HIV and AIDS at go.gov.sg/preventhiv
OYK wonders what he will be when he grows up. 
"What do I want to be when I grow up?"
Over the years, this question has guided me as I pondered my next steps in life. I shared this with graduands of NUS High School's Class of 2022.
Ong Ye Kung
8 h ·"What do I want to be when I grow up?"
Over the years, this question has guided me as I pondered my next steps in life. I shared this with graduands of NUS High School's Class of 2022.
from straitstimes.com:
The authorities will work towards expanding the scope of treatments that can be supported by the Rare Disease Fund, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Zhaki Abdullah
UPDATED
14 NOV 2022, 9:13 PM SGT
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SINGAPORE – Whether the Government should support medical treatments for rare diseases, regardless of cost, must be “carefully reviewed”, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
This is especially if the efficacy of such treatments is uncertain, he added in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied GRC) on Nov 8.
The Workers’ Party MP had asked a number of questions regarding the Rare Disease Fund (RDF) – which provides long-term financial support to those who need high-cost medication for rare conditions – including how many applications the fund has received since April 2021 and its ratio of applicants to grants.
Mr Perera also asked whether the fund has enough money to support new applicants.
In his response, Mr Ong noted that the RDF – which currently supports seven medications for five conditions, including primary bile acid synthesis disorder and Pompe disease – has received applications from six patients since April 2021, all of whom are currently supported by the fund.
“There are sufficient funds to support these patients,” he said, without stating a figure.
Then Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon said in August 2021 that $1.5 million was expected to be given out through the fund that year, 50 per cent more than in the previous financial year for the same number of patients.
Mr Ong acknowledged on Tuesday that there are patients with rare diseases who require medications that are not currently supported by the RDF.
“Medicines for rare disease patients can exceed $200,000 per patient annually, with varying efficacies, and our healthcare financing system is not designed to support such high-cost treatments,” he said.
The fund acts as a form of collective support for Singaporeans, with the Government providing $3 for every dollar donated by the public, Mr Ong added.
It is also heartening that some have been able to obtain financial support from the community through crowdfunding or other charitable funds, he noted.
The authorities will continue to monitor the situation and work towards expanding the scope of treatments that can be supported by the fund, Mr Ong said.
“We also encourage members of the public to support the RDF with donations so that more medicines and conditions can be listed, and more patients can be supported,” he added.
An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people here have rare diseases.
Support for treatment of rare illnesses, regardless of cost, must be carefully reviewed: Ong Ye Kung
The authorities will work towards expanding the scope of treatments that can be supported by the Rare Disease Fund, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Zhaki Abdullah
UPDATED
14 NOV 2022, 9:13 PM SGT
FacebookTwitter
SINGAPORE – Whether the Government should support medical treatments for rare diseases, regardless of cost, must be “carefully reviewed”, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
This is especially if the efficacy of such treatments is uncertain, he added in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied GRC) on Nov 8.
The Workers’ Party MP had asked a number of questions regarding the Rare Disease Fund (RDF) – which provides long-term financial support to those who need high-cost medication for rare conditions – including how many applications the fund has received since April 2021 and its ratio of applicants to grants.
Mr Perera also asked whether the fund has enough money to support new applicants.
In his response, Mr Ong noted that the RDF – which currently supports seven medications for five conditions, including primary bile acid synthesis disorder and Pompe disease – has received applications from six patients since April 2021, all of whom are currently supported by the fund.
“There are sufficient funds to support these patients,” he said, without stating a figure.
Then Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon said in August 2021 that $1.5 million was expected to be given out through the fund that year, 50 per cent more than in the previous financial year for the same number of patients.
Mr Ong acknowledged on Tuesday that there are patients with rare diseases who require medications that are not currently supported by the RDF.
“Medicines for rare disease patients can exceed $200,000 per patient annually, with varying efficacies, and our healthcare financing system is not designed to support such high-cost treatments,” he said.
The fund acts as a form of collective support for Singaporeans, with the Government providing $3 for every dollar donated by the public, Mr Ong added.
It is also heartening that some have been able to obtain financial support from the community through crowdfunding or other charitable funds, he noted.
The authorities will continue to monitor the situation and work towards expanding the scope of treatments that can be supported by the fund, Mr Ong said.
“We also encourage members of the public to support the RDF with donations so that more medicines and conditions can be listed, and more patients can be supported,” he added.
An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people here have rare diseases.
from straitstimes.com:
The increase, which will begin from the middle of 2023, represents about 10 per cent of the current number of nurses here. PHOTO: ST FILE
Zhaki Abdullah
UPDATED
21 NOV 2022, 11:06 PM SGT
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SINGAPORE - As part of efforts to enhance Singapore’s nursing workforce, the Republic expects to employ almost 4,000 new nurses by end-2023, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung said on Monday.
This increase, which will begin from the middle of 2023, represents about 10 per cent of the current number of nurses here, said Mr Ong, adding that it is about 700 more than the number of new nurses in 2021.
Foreign nurses will make up about 60 per cent of the new nurses, to make up for the slowdown in foreign nurse recruitment during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.
“Even whilst we ramp up foreign recruitment to bolster our nursing workforce, the large majority of our nursing workforce will continue to be local and contributed through our nursing school intakes and mid-career training programmes,” he added.
Tackling the manpower shortage will help lighten the workload of nurses, said Mr Ong, noting the country had lost many experienced foreign nurses as a result of the competition for nurses from other countries during the pandemic.
In August, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health Rahayu Mahzam said the proportion of nurses in public hospitals who resigned reached a five-year high in 2021, with 7.4 per cent of local nurses and 14.8 per cent of foreign nurses leaving their jobs.
In July, Mr Ong announced that more than 25,000 nurses in the public sector would receive a special payment of between 1.7 and 2.1 months of their base salary in 2022, as part of efforts to attract and retain nursing talent.
Though the crunch at hospitals has made headlines recently, bed occupancies, emergency department (ED) attendances and bed wait times have improved with the wave of infections caused by the XBB Covid-19 sub-variant having subsided, Mr Ong said.
He added that hospitals have reported that the number of non-urgent ED patients waiting for beds has halved from the peak of the XBB wave, while patients who require urgent care have always been admitted immediately.
The median wait times at EDs have fallen from seven hours two weeks ago to about four hours, Mr Ong noted.
He added that the authorities are working to further reduce bed occupancies by removing the ringfencing of beds for Covid-19 patients, as well as expanding the number of transitional care facilities.
Such facilities admit medically stable patients from public hospitals while they wait for their transfers to intermediate and long-term care facilities or for their discharge plans to be finalised.
Mr Ong noted the newest such transitional care facility, Crawfurd Hospital, which opened on Nov 4, has 43 beds for transitional patients, of which about 15 are now occupied. This has helped relieve the inpatient load for Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which it is partnered with, he said.
The Health Ministry is now working with Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital to act as a partner facility for Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, he added.
Mr Ong was speaking during the ceremony of the Tan Chin Tuan Nursing Award for Enrolled Nurses, held at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University.
Ms Anna Goh, a senior enrolled nurse who has been with Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s neurology ward for 17 years, clinched the top prize this year.
Besides caring for patients with neurological conditions, the 37-year-old has participated in many clinical projects, including assisting in developing a clinical guideline to eliminate catheter-associated urinary tract infection.
(From left) Tan Chin Tuan Foundation deputy chairman Chew Gek Khim, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Tan Tock Seng Hospital senior enrolled nurse Anna Goh, and D.S. Lee Foundation CEO and director Sebastian Tan. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Mr Ong said the shift to preventative healthcare under the Healthier SG initiative means the role of enrolled nurses will evolve further.
Enrolled nurses – who typically support registered nurses and are responsible for providing bedside care and monitoring a patient’s condition – can play a key role in supporting patients, by educating them on their recommended health screenings and lifestyle adjustments prescribed within care protocols, said Mr Ong.
These changes are currently under deliberation, he said, adding he hoped to engage enrolled nurses in these discussions.
“We will engage you in our conversations, and look forward to your continued contribution in transforming our healthcare system,” said Mr Ong, addressing the enrolled nurses at the event.
Singapore to hire about 4,000 new nurses by end-2023
The increase, which will begin from the middle of 2023, represents about 10 per cent of the current number of nurses here. PHOTO: ST FILE
Zhaki Abdullah
UPDATED
21 NOV 2022, 11:06 PM SGT
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SINGAPORE - As part of efforts to enhance Singapore’s nursing workforce, the Republic expects to employ almost 4,000 new nurses by end-2023, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung said on Monday.
This increase, which will begin from the middle of 2023, represents about 10 per cent of the current number of nurses here, said Mr Ong, adding that it is about 700 more than the number of new nurses in 2021.
Foreign nurses will make up about 60 per cent of the new nurses, to make up for the slowdown in foreign nurse recruitment during the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.
“Even whilst we ramp up foreign recruitment to bolster our nursing workforce, the large majority of our nursing workforce will continue to be local and contributed through our nursing school intakes and mid-career training programmes,” he added.
Tackling the manpower shortage will help lighten the workload of nurses, said Mr Ong, noting the country had lost many experienced foreign nurses as a result of the competition for nurses from other countries during the pandemic.
In August, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health Rahayu Mahzam said the proportion of nurses in public hospitals who resigned reached a five-year high in 2021, with 7.4 per cent of local nurses and 14.8 per cent of foreign nurses leaving their jobs.
In July, Mr Ong announced that more than 25,000 nurses in the public sector would receive a special payment of between 1.7 and 2.1 months of their base salary in 2022, as part of efforts to attract and retain nursing talent.
Though the crunch at hospitals has made headlines recently, bed occupancies, emergency department (ED) attendances and bed wait times have improved with the wave of infections caused by the XBB Covid-19 sub-variant having subsided, Mr Ong said.
He added that hospitals have reported that the number of non-urgent ED patients waiting for beds has halved from the peak of the XBB wave, while patients who require urgent care have always been admitted immediately.
The median wait times at EDs have fallen from seven hours two weeks ago to about four hours, Mr Ong noted.
He added that the authorities are working to further reduce bed occupancies by removing the ringfencing of beds for Covid-19 patients, as well as expanding the number of transitional care facilities.
Such facilities admit medically stable patients from public hospitals while they wait for their transfers to intermediate and long-term care facilities or for their discharge plans to be finalised.
Mr Ong noted the newest such transitional care facility, Crawfurd Hospital, which opened on Nov 4, has 43 beds for transitional patients, of which about 15 are now occupied. This has helped relieve the inpatient load for Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which it is partnered with, he said.
The Health Ministry is now working with Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital to act as a partner facility for Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, he added.
Mr Ong was speaking during the ceremony of the Tan Chin Tuan Nursing Award for Enrolled Nurses, held at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University.
Ms Anna Goh, a senior enrolled nurse who has been with Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s neurology ward for 17 years, clinched the top prize this year.
Besides caring for patients with neurological conditions, the 37-year-old has participated in many clinical projects, including assisting in developing a clinical guideline to eliminate catheter-associated urinary tract infection.
(From left) Tan Chin Tuan Foundation deputy chairman Chew Gek Khim, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Tan Tock Seng Hospital senior enrolled nurse Anna Goh, and D.S. Lee Foundation CEO and director Sebastian Tan. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Mr Ong said the shift to preventative healthcare under the Healthier SG initiative means the role of enrolled nurses will evolve further.
Enrolled nurses – who typically support registered nurses and are responsible for providing bedside care and monitoring a patient’s condition – can play a key role in supporting patients, by educating them on their recommended health screenings and lifestyle adjustments prescribed within care protocols, said Mr Ong.
These changes are currently under deliberation, he said, adding he hoped to engage enrolled nurses in these discussions.
“We will engage you in our conversations, and look forward to your continued contribution in transforming our healthcare system,” said Mr Ong, addressing the enrolled nurses at the event.
OYK will make the Health Fiesta widely known. 
Over the weekend, advisers at Sembawang GRC attended our MAEC Health Fiesta, and unveiled Sembawang GRC 100. These are 100 free physical activities held every week in Sembawang GRC. We will make it widely known, distribute them to GPs and senior care centres throughout the GRC, to encourage more residents to participate, stay active and healthy. This is an important preparation for Healthier SG, to be rolled out second half of next year.
#MakeSembawangSpecial #OKwithOYK #HealthierSG
Ong Ye Kung
3 h ·Over the weekend, advisers at Sembawang GRC attended our MAEC Health Fiesta, and unveiled Sembawang GRC 100. These are 100 free physical activities held every week in Sembawang GRC. We will make it widely known, distribute them to GPs and senior care centres throughout the GRC, to encourage more residents to participate, stay active and healthy. This is an important preparation for Healthier SG, to be rolled out second half of next year.
#MakeSembawangSpecial #OKwithOYK #HealthierSG
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