Tan Tock Seng Hospital says Ravi Philemon's account of healthcare worker who died 'inaccurate'

Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has responded to allegations surrounding a recently-deceased healthcare worker in their employ.

She was alleged to have died in part due to work-related stress and fatigue, according to a Facebook post by local political party Red Dot United secretary-general Ravi Philemon.

In a Jan. 31 Facebook post, the hospital said Philemon's account was "inaccurate".

It further added that the politician had not been asked or given permission by the family of the deceased to raise the issue publicly.

"We have communicated with Mr Ravi Philemon on 22 January 2025, to explain that the situation was not what he thinks, but it is regrettable that he has persisted with his own incorrect account of the situation and then put out a public post on the matter," the hospital said.

"We strongly urge all to refrain from sharing unverified information that could cause unnecessary distress to her family, friends, and coworkers during this time of grief."

The account

The contentious account was uploaded on Facebook on Jan. 26 by Philemon, in a post captioned "Don't place healthcare professionals under undue stress".

Philemon said that a resident had shared the incident with him, regarding a 34-year-old healthcare worker who had recently joined the profession through the Professional Conversion Programme.

She allegedly collapsed in the operating theatre "due to severe fatigue".

While she was initially granted three days of medical leave, she allegedly requested an extension, but allegedly had her request denied.

The healthcare worker supposedly died shortly after returning to work, which Philemon said was in part due to "fatigue and work-related stress".

Philemon also shared that he had contacted TTSH to enquire about the claims, and that they told him some of the details initially shared with him were inaccurate.

However, they apparently did not provide further "specifics", citing the need to respect the privacy of the deceased and her family.

"I appreciate the timeliness of their response and these initiatives. But still, this tragic incident serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost of fatigue and overwork in high-pressure professions," Philemon continued.

Philemon then called for the Ministry of Health (MOH) and healthcare institutions to reduce excessive strain on healthcare staff and improve monitoring of staff well-being.

Top image from John Goh/Google Maps and Ravi Philemon/Facebook