Serious Many Pappys don't like OngYK..not Team player.

[jw5]

OYK asks if he is still in sync.

Ong Ye Kung​

4 d ·
Am I still in-sync?
#makesembawangspecial #OKwithOYK

 

[jw5]

OYK wishes everyone 冬至快乐！Happy Winter Solstice!

Ong Ye Kung​

9 h · Instagram ·
冬至快乐！Happy Winter Solstice!

 

[jw5]

OYK encourages more organisations to consider CSR in their constituencies.

Ong Ye Kung​

4 d ·
Welcoming the next corporate partner, UPS to Sembawang Central’s senior befriending programme.
I encourage more organisations to consider CSR in their constituencies.

 

[jw5]

OYK asks you to stop vaping.

Ong Ye Kung​

5 d ·
E-vaporisers are not allowed to be sold, possessed or used in Singapore, as they are bad for health, causing lung and heart diseases.
Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Health, along with other government agencies, have been working together to get very serious about enforcing against vaping.
Our efforts will include:

Disrupting the sale and supply of e-vaporisers through our borders

Improving detection and removal of sales and ads of e-vaporisers online

Enhancing enforcement in the community and schools to curb the possession and use of e-vaporisers

Conducting operations at air, land and sea checkpoints, starting with Changi Airport. Incoming passengers may be screened for e-vaporisers and their components, and those found with these items will be fined.
Stop vaping, lead a healthier life.
(Photo of the HSA and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority Singapore operations at Changi Airport.)

 

[jw5]

OYK wishes Merry Christmas to all his friends.

Ong Ye Kung​

12 h ·
Merry Christmas to all my friends. This photo looks like it’s taken in Europe, but it is actually taken in Bukit Canberra. May everyone have a good year ahead, filled with happiness and blessed with good health.

 

[jw5]

OYK asks whether Sembawang is depressing.

Ong Ye Kung​

3 d ·
Is Sembawang depressing?

 

[jw5]

OYK thanks everyone.

Ong Ye Kung​

5 d ·
After many years of hard work, our newest hospital Woodlands Health will progressively open its doors from today.
We are starting modestly, with 40 community hospital beds, along with selected specialist outpatient, rehabilitation and pharmacy services.
When it operates at full throttle in the middle of next year, the Emergency Department will be ready; so will about 1,000 beds in its integrated acute and community hospital, and about 400 beds in its Long-Term Care Tower.
Here are several photos from today’s event. A big thank you to everyone who worked on this project. Last lap to go!

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

‘We can withstand this’: Ong Ye Kung on latest spike in Covid-19 cases​

In the week ended Dec 2, 32,035 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 – the highest recorded in 2023. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Lee Li Ying
Correspondent
UPDATED

16 DEC 2023, 10:26 AM SGT

FacebookX

SINGAPORE – A little anxiousness over the latest spike in Covid-19 cases is not a bad thing, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, pointing out how it would make people take extra precautions.
Noting that 60 per cent of the population is up to date with their vaccinations, he added that he is reasonably optimistic that people have good immunity. But he warned that the next Covid-19 wave could have more impact if people do not keep up with their jabs.
Singapore’s latest Covid-19 wave is due to a number of factors, including waning population immunity and increased travel and community interactions during the year-end festive season.

In the week ended Dec 2, 32,035 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 – the highest recorded in 2023. The previous high was 28,410 infections a week in March.
Mr Ong responded to questions on the spike in Covid-19 infections during a media doorstop at the launch of a framework to stem healthcare worker abuse.
He said there were fewer than 10 cases in the intensive care unit at any one time. There were 560 hospitalised Covid-19 cases on Dec 13, a fraction of the 1,726 at the peak of the pandemic.

For now, it is still hard to tell if Singapore has hit the peak of the current wave. Currently, there are about 5,000 Covid-19 cases daily, and while those numbers could go up, it is not something the country has not experienced before.

“All in all, we can withstand this. We have gone through over three years of pandemic, with all kinds of safe management measures. Finally, earlier this year, we (transited) to Dorscon Green. Going back is the last thing on our mind,” said Mr Ong.
Under the disease outbreak response system condition (Dorscon) set up in 2005, green indicates that a disease is mild and poses minimal disruption to daily life.
Mr Ong urged everyone to play their part by observing good hygiene and avoiding contact with people, especially the elderly, if they are sick.
“There are people who say they don’t have the antigen rapid test kits for Covid-19, but actually we are not just worried about Covid-19. There are other viruses going around like adenoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, mycoplasma, pneumonia and so on. So as long as you’re sick, don’t come into contact and wear a mask when you go out,” he said.
He emphasised that Singaporeans need to continue to take their vaccines, especially if they are seniors above 60 or have chronic illnesses.

Mr Ong is optimistic about Singapore’s situation today because 60 per cent of the population are up to date with their vaccinations. This means a minimum protection of either three doses of an mRNA or the Novavax vaccine, or four doses of the Sinovac vaccine, plus an additional booster jab a year after their last dose.
“But if we do not continue to vaccinate, and we wait till next year, instead of 60 per cent, we have only 20 per cent that’s recently vaccinated. When another wave hits at that point in time, the impact will be greater, especially on the seniors,” he said.

 

[jw5]

OYK puts his tastebuds to the test.

Ong Ye Kung​

7 h ·
Can you guess the Nutri-Grade label for these drinks? Chef Lennard and I put our taste buds to the test!

#blindtastetest

 

[jw5]

OYK wishes a good 2024 for everyone.

Ong Ye Kung​

59 m ·
Dear friends,
As the year comes to an end, how has it been for you?
For me, I started with concerned friends telling me that for my zodiac sign, it would be a challenging year. They arranged for me to be blessed by temples, which I dutifully did even though I am not religious. It does provide comfort.
I went through two surgeries this year, and thankfully both were performed by great clinicians and went well. Am continuing to strengthen my repaired knee.
We had a fruitful year at work. Got to Dorscon Green, and advanced the health agenda significantly. In Sembawang, developments, especially Bukit Canberra and our Active Ageing agenda, are progressing nicely.
At home, children are growing up, becoming adults even as I continue to treat them as babies. I need to grow up as a parent too and am constantly thankful that I have them in my life.
We cherish every year we have on this Earth, whatever the challenges and happiness it brings. Here’s to a good 2024 for everyone.

 

[jw5]

OYK wraps up 2023.

Ong Ye Kung​

1 d ·

That's a wrap, 2023. Next up, 2024! #2023recap

 

[jw5]

OYK thinks he is a true Jedi.

Ong Ye Kung​

11 h ·
Like a true Jedi, we must strive for balance in life.
#HealthierSG

 

[jw5]

Ong Ye Kung​

21 h ·
Ministry of Health, Singapore has been working with private healthcare providers to set up Transitional Care Facilities (TCFs). TCFs are for public hospital patients who are stable, and just need time to recover to be discharged for long term care arrangements.
Today I visited TCF@West. The converted building used to be the French-Singapore Institute, and is now given a new lease of life as a TCF, providing much needed relief to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. The contractors worked hard, and took only four months for the conversion.
By February, it will have 200 beds and even a gardening plot for patients.
Patients can access a range of services delivered by a team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, and medical social workers. In addition, eligible patients can tap on our S+2M framework (Subsidies, MediSave and MediShield Life) and most do not have to top up cash.
Thanks to all our partners, especially Dr Ong (who gave my COVID-19 vaccine shot!) and his PanCare Medical team, who helped get the facility up and running.

 

[jw5]

OYK gives out awards.

Ong Ye Kung​

23 h ·
It’s Edusave Award Ceremony season again. Met these students again this year, where they have all been promoted to Secondary One. All different schools, but still friends.
#makesembawangspecial #OKwithOYK

 

[jw5]

OYK had dinner at ABC Brickworks Market and Food Centre.

Ong Ye Kung​

2 d ·
Just had dinner at ABC Brickworks Market and Food Centre. Had claypot rice and oyster omelette at Eric Chua's recommendation. Could not resist the very traditional looking chendol too.
What made me sad was that the market is markedly quieter than before. Hawkers told me that many patrons were hesitant to come, because they were worried about catching Tuberculosis (TB).
TB is spread after close and prolonged exposure, usually days to weeks. Therefore, a person may get TB if they live or work daily with someone infected. They cannot get TB by sharing cups, utensils or food, through hand shaking, or having the occasional meal at the hawker centre.
This is why this screening exercise is a precautionary measure to identify TB cases among those who live or work in the area, and also offered to those who visit the area frequently. So that we can treat them if they are infected to further reduce the risk of TB transmission.
The vast majority of us don’t fall into this category so please go ahead and enjoy the good food at ABC. Let’s support our hawkers.

 

[jw5]

OYK became an undercover sous #chef.

Ong Ye Kung​

3 d ·

Took a peek into the world of hospital kitchens as an undercover sous #chef.

 

[jw5]

OYK wants to build up our resilience.

Ong Ye Kung​

4 d ·
Today, Ministry of Health, Singapore, PSD Singapore and the Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to prepare for future national level crises.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 2,000 SIA Group staff served in frontline roles across the various public agencies.
Building on this successful collaboration, the MOU will see SIA and Scoot cabin crew volunteers trained and deployed in essential support care roles in future crisis situations.
This will start from April, with the SG Healthcare Corps (SHC) facilitating the training and deployment of around 50 SIA and Scoot cabin crew, who will volunteer as SIA Group Ambassadors at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Changi General Hospital.
Harnessing public-private partnerships is one of the many lessons we have learned from COVID, and this MOU is another step in building up our resilience.

 

[jw5]

OYK is in Ireland.

Ong Ye Kung​

20 h ·
Am in Ireland for an official visit and was greeted at the airport with a pint of Guinness. Was told that in the past, blood donors in Ireland were given a pint at the end of the donation! (We give biscuits and milo in Singapore).

 

[jw5]

OYK asks you to belanja your neighbour.

Ong Ye Kung​

9 h ·
Purchase tokens and Belanja a Meal for your neighbour.
#MakeSembawangSpecial #OKwithOYK

 

[jw5]

OYK had a fruitful work trip in Ireland.

Ong Ye Kung​

2 d ·
Had a fruitful work trip in Ireland. Met my counterparts and related political office holders, namely Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and the Irish Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation Dara Calleary. Gained more intimate knowledge about healthcare reforms, medical education, and the impressive growth of the medtech landscape in Ireland.
I visited Trinity College Dublin (TCD) School of Medicine and met several Singapore students there. Over the years, TCD and other Irish universities have produced many doctors who are serving in our healthcare system.
At Galway, on the opposite side of the coast, I visited companies like Aerogen, which is at the forefront of using aerosol technology to deliver medication such as vaccines, and Medtronic, the major producer of stents which also has a big presence in Singapore making pace makers.
Special thanks to Irish Ambassador to Singapore Sarah McGrath for hosting us and helping set up many of our meetings. She made a special effort to show us the magnificent Cliffs of Moher.
Am now off to Paris for the OECD Conference on Healthcare.