Debated in Parliament on 7 Oct 2019.
Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked the Minister for Health how prepared are our health institutions to meet health issues that may arise from haze exposure.
Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Health (a) what measures are in place in hospital wards and nursing homes especially non air-conditioned ones to help vulnerable Singaporeans cope with the haze situation; and (b) whether the Ministry has haze management guidelines for healthcare institutions in Singapore.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry has specific guidelines for public hospitals on protecting patients from the haze and whether all public hospital wards should be air-conditioned and fitted with air purification filters.
MOH has issued guidelines to public healthcare institutions to protect the welfare of its patients and staff during periods of haze. These guidelines apply to all public hospitals, polyclinics and nursing homes.
In addition, MOH had provided funding to public hospitals, polyclinics and non-private nursing homes to purchase air purifiers and portable air coolers for use in naturally ventilated wards during haze situations. While MOH's current policy is for subsidised wards in public hospitals and for Government-built nursing homes to be naturally ventilated, these institutions can close the windows during sustained severe haze and deploy fans, portable air coolers and air purifiers to mitigate the effects of haze. Some of the newer hospitals such as Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Jurong Community Hospital and Sengkang General and Community Hospitals are fitted with air filtration systems to supply filtered air to naturally ventilated wards during haze. MOH has also reminded residential and centre-based community care providers to replace outdoor activities with indoor ones when the haze situation worsens.
Healthcare institutions will monitor patients closely for possible health effects from the haze, especially patients with higher care needs, including the elderly, pregnant women, children and those with existing chronic respiratory and heart disease. These patients will be given appropriate medical care when needed.
To prepare for severe haze situations, MOH has also worked with the public hospitals and polyclinics to ensure adequate supply of masks and other medical supplies including medications. To cope with any surge in demand, the public hospitals have plans to ensure adequate staffing for critical services, such as Emergency Departments, and ramp up bed capacity as needed. At the polyclinics, fast track consultation and home medication delivery services are some of the measures deployed for vulnerable patients including those who need support at home.
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