Debated in Parliament on 6 Feb 2023.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Health (a) what are the factors considered when determining the availability of obstetrics and gynaecology or paediatric care services in public hospitals; and (b) whether the Ministry has considered implementing more of such services in public hospitals situated in areas with a higher concentration of younger families, such as Sengkang and Punggol.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) takes into account national and regional demographic and demand trends in planning for public hospital services in Singapore.
In that regard, Sengkang General Hospital (SKH) provides outpatient obstetrics and gynaecology (OG) and general paediatric services, including pre- and post-natal screening and basic fertility consultation, to cater to families with young children living in the northeast region of Singapore.
However, public inpatient OG and paediatric services are centralised in KK Women and Children’s Hospital (KKH), National University Hospital (NUH) and the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). This allows for the consolidation of specialty and subspecialty expertise and resources to deliver the best outcomes for patients. Being a small compact city with relative short travel distances, this is a practical and effective arrangement.
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