Ministry of Health – Page 13 – Office of the Leader of the Opposition

UPDATE ON COVID-19 ANTI-VIRAL TREATMENTS BEING ASSESSED BY HEALTH AUTHORITIES

Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on COVID-19 anti-viral treatments currently under evaluation by HSA, including SaNOtize’s nitric oxide nasal spray; and (b) what is the Ministry’s evaluation of the likely impact of the successful registration and dissemination of COVID-19 therapies currently being evaluated on (i) ICU capacityContinue reading “UPDATE ON COVID-19 ANTI-VIRAL TREATMENTS BEING ASSESSED BY HEALTH AUTHORITIES”

PHASING OUT TRACETOGETHER AND SAFEENTRY AND REDUCING FUNCTIONALITY OF TRACETOGETHER TO BE USED PURELY AS MODE OF DISPLAYING COVID-19 VACCINATION AND TEST STATUS

Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Health whether the Government plans to (i) phase out TraceTogether and SafeEntry and (ii) reduce the functionality of TraceTogether to be used purely as a mode of displaying COVID-19 vaccination and test status. Mr Ong Ye Kung: This question for written answer has been addressed by the oral reply to QuestionContinue reading “PHASING OUT TRACETOGETHER AND SAFEENTRY AND REDUCING FUNCTIONALITY OF TRACETOGETHER TO BE USED PURELY AS MODE OF DISPLAYING COVID-19 VACCINATION AND TEST STATUS”

UPDATE ON ICU AND HOSPITAL CAPACITY

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you to the Senior Minister of State for the Statement on ICU capacity. I would like to refer to a report which is found on the SingHealth website. It is carrying a Straits Times article on ICU capacity. This is dated 13 August and I thinkContinue reading “UPDATE ON ICU AND HOSPITAL CAPACITY”

NUMBER OF SINGAPOREANS WHO HAVE GIVEN UP SMOKING IN PAST TWO YEARS AND PROPOSAL TO CONSIDER TOTAL BAN ON SALE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS

Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry intends to introduce a generational tobacco purchasing ban similar to that implemented by New Zealand; and (b) whether other measures are being studied to reduce rates of smoking in the general population. The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Koh Poh Koon) (forContinue reading “NUMBER OF SINGAPOREANS WHO HAVE GIVEN UP SMOKING IN PAST TWO YEARS AND PROPOSAL TO CONSIDER TOTAL BAN ON SALE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS”

SPECIALISED MENTAL HEALTH AND WHISTLE-BLOWING SUPPORT FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Health (a) what avenues of specialised mental health support are available to healthcare workers; (b) for each year from 2019 to 2021, how many healthcare workers have sought mental health support through these channels; and (c) what avenues do healthcare workers have for whistle-blowing or to raise their concernsContinue reading “SPECIALISED MENTAL HEALTH AND WHISTLE-BLOWING SUPPORT FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS”

ATTRITION RATES IN PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND NURSES AND ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS RECRUITED FOR PUBLIC SECTOR IN 2021

Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Health (a) how many nurses and allied health professionals were recruited for the public sector in 2021 on a quarterly basis; and (b) how does this compare to 2020 and 2019. Mr Ong Ye Kung: These questions have been addressed by the written reply to Question Nos 33 to 35 forContinue reading “ATTRITION RATES IN PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND NURSES AND ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS RECRUITED FOR PUBLIC SECTOR IN 2021”

SINGAPORE’S DOCTOR- AND NURSE-TO-POPULATION RATIOS AND PLANNED MANPOWER INCREASES IN PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN NEXT FIVE YEARS

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health (a) how Singapore’s doctor-to-population ratio and nurse-to-population ratio compares with other developed countries; and (b) whether the Ministry plans to increase the manpower capacity in the public healthcare system in the next five years. Mr Ong Ye Kung: Singapore’s registered doctor-to-population ratio and nurse-to-population ratio in 2020 wereContinue reading “SINGAPORE’S DOCTOR- AND NURSE-TO-POPULATION RATIOS AND PLANNED MANPOWER INCREASES IN PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN NEXT FIVE YEARS”

PLANS FOR CONTINUING WITH TRACETOGETHER AS COVID-19 CONTACT TRACING TOOL

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Health in light of living with COVID-19 as an endemic disease (a) to what extent is TraceTogether still utilised as a contact tracing tool; (b) whether there are any plans to transition towards user-oriented contact exposure technology, such as Novid; (c) whether there are any plans or specificContinue reading “PLANS FOR CONTINUING WITH TRACETOGETHER AS COVID-19 CONTACT TRACING TOOL”

AVAILABILITY OF OVER-THE-COUNTER THERAPEUTIC DRUGS FOR COVID-19 TREATMENT

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health (a) whether HSA intends to make available any therapeutic drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 over the counter; and (b) if so, what are the drugs that are currently under evaluation for this purpose. Mr Ong Ye Kung: A medicine could be made available over-the-counter without aContinue reading “AVAILABILITY OF OVER-THE-COUNTER THERAPEUTIC DRUGS FOR COVID-19 TREATMENT”

VACCINATION FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND POSSIBILITY OF VACCINATION-DIFFERENTIATED MEASURES FOR PRESCHOOLS AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Thank you, Mr Speaker. Sir, I have two supplementary questions. The first pertains to a subject I believe that was covered both by the Minister for Health and the Minister for Education. This concerns the apprehension some parents have over the administration of mRNA vaccines for their children. These parents anecdotally areContinue reading “VACCINATION FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND POSSIBILITY OF VACCINATION-DIFFERENTIATED MEASURES FOR PRESCHOOLS AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS”