Important to support healthcare workers no matter outcome of NUH investigation: Ong Ye Kung

There have unfortunately been more reports of abuse against healthcare workers recently, Ong said.

Mandy How| March 26, 2022, 11:19 AM

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Health minister Ong Ye Kung has urged members of the public to continue showing their support for Singapore's healthcare workers in a Facebook post on Mar. 25, 2022.

He was speaking in context of a recent tragedy at the NUH, where a pregnant woman lost her baby after a two-hour wait in the A&E.

She was nine months pregnant at the time, bleeding profusely, and in great pain, a subsequent interview with 8world revealed.

NUH later apologised for not doing more to "provide closer monitoring and care."

Ong said that the Ministry of Health (MOH) will work with National University Hospital (NUH) to conduct a "thorough investigation" of the matter.

MOH "takes a serious view" of such incidents

Ong said that he had just returned from a work trip to Malaysia, where he has been following the incident with "deep concern."

He had also discussed the matter with the Director of Medical Services at Ministry of Health (MOH), Kenneth Mak.

He said that MOH takes a serious view of such incidents, and lapses or shortcomings will be rectified.

As a parent himself, Ong was very sorry to hear the loss of baby Titus and understands the family's anguish.

Lessons learnt will be shared with the rest of the healthcare system to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.

"However, whatever the outcome of the investigations, it is very important that we continue to support our healthcare workers," Ong said.

According to him, there have unfortunately been more reports of abuse against healthcare workers recently.

Ong sought the public's understanding that healthcare workers have been going through a very challenging and difficult time.

He added,

"On top of taking care of Covid-19 patients and subjecting themselves to risk, they have been doing their very best to ensure all emergency cases are properly attended to. Let’s continue to show them support and understanding, even as NUH fully investigates the matter."

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Top image via Rachel Ng, Mee Pok Tah on Facebook