<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>More seeking free medical treatment
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Lines at free clinics, even smaller outfits, growing longer in leaner times </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Melissa Sim
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Patients waiting to see the doctors at Sunlove Marsiling Neighbourhood Link. More people are finding polyclinics a strain on their pockets, and are turning to free clinics to treat coughs, colds and even chronic ailments. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->QUEUES at free clinics are getting longer.
People who find even polyclinics a strain on their wallets are going to these clinics for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or Western medicine to treat coughs and colds and also for chronic ailments like diabetes.
Sunlove Abode for Intellectually Infirmed, a voluntary welfare organisation that runs 18 free clinics, had 3,275 patients in 2007 and 5,768 last year. That was a 76 per cent jump.
Over at the Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic, 240,358 patients were seen last year, up from 225,761 the year before.
This clinic, not truly free, charges a nominal $1 for each day of medication, but waives this for patients aged above 60.
Even relatively smaller outfits such as Realm of Tranquility and HealthServe are handling more patients nowadays.
Doctors at Realm of Tranquility, which has nine branches, treated 350 patients in the first quarter of this year, 27 per cent more than the 276 in the first quarter of last year.
This trend has surfaced despite the fact that patients with chronic ailments such as diabetes and high cholesterol can now use Medisave to cover part of their medicine bills.
Dr M. Perumall of Sunlove said nearly half his patients used to go to polyclinics but are now finding it tough to pay even $30.
'You can see the anxiety on their faces. They tell me that they have financial problems and can't afford the medicine any more,' he said.
Former taxi driver M. Chua, 59, who was at the Sunlove Marsiling Neighbourhood Link free clinic yesterday, said he stopped working last July for health reasons and now has no income.
Since a heart bypass last August, he has been going to the free clinic for his check-ups. It is cheaper than going to the polyclinic, where a blood pressure check costs $9.30.
'If I can pay, I will pay. But now I really need help,' he said.
The voluntary welfare groups are themselves going to need help to sustain their services. Some say they will ramp up fund-raising. Others expect to dip into their reserves this year.
A Ministry of Health spokesman said polyclinic fees are already heavily subsidised and generally affordable to most, and noted that patients in financial difficulty can turn to the financial counsellors based in the polyclinics. [email protected]
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Lines at free clinics, even smaller outfits, growing longer in leaner times </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Melissa Sim
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Patients waiting to see the doctors at Sunlove Marsiling Neighbourhood Link. More people are finding polyclinics a strain on their pockets, and are turning to free clinics to treat coughs, colds and even chronic ailments. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->QUEUES at free clinics are getting longer.
People who find even polyclinics a strain on their wallets are going to these clinics for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or Western medicine to treat coughs and colds and also for chronic ailments like diabetes.
Sunlove Abode for Intellectually Infirmed, a voluntary welfare organisation that runs 18 free clinics, had 3,275 patients in 2007 and 5,768 last year. That was a 76 per cent jump.
Over at the Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic, 240,358 patients were seen last year, up from 225,761 the year before.
This clinic, not truly free, charges a nominal $1 for each day of medication, but waives this for patients aged above 60.
Even relatively smaller outfits such as Realm of Tranquility and HealthServe are handling more patients nowadays.
Doctors at Realm of Tranquility, which has nine branches, treated 350 patients in the first quarter of this year, 27 per cent more than the 276 in the first quarter of last year.
This trend has surfaced despite the fact that patients with chronic ailments such as diabetes and high cholesterol can now use Medisave to cover part of their medicine bills.
Dr M. Perumall of Sunlove said nearly half his patients used to go to polyclinics but are now finding it tough to pay even $30.
'You can see the anxiety on their faces. They tell me that they have financial problems and can't afford the medicine any more,' he said.
Former taxi driver M. Chua, 59, who was at the Sunlove Marsiling Neighbourhood Link free clinic yesterday, said he stopped working last July for health reasons and now has no income.
Since a heart bypass last August, he has been going to the free clinic for his check-ups. It is cheaper than going to the polyclinic, where a blood pressure check costs $9.30.
'If I can pay, I will pay. But now I really need help,' he said.
The voluntary welfare groups are themselves going to need help to sustain their services. Some say they will ramp up fund-raising. Others expect to dip into their reserves this year.
A Ministry of Health spokesman said polyclinic fees are already heavily subsidised and generally affordable to most, and noted that patients in financial difficulty can turn to the financial counsellors based in the polyclinics. [email protected]
