Data on Children with End-Stage Heart Failure and Proposal for National Paediatric Heart Transplant Programme Across NUH, KKH and National Heart Centre Singapore

19 Mr Victor Lye asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) how many children with end-stage heart failure is the Government aware of who have, in the past 10 years, died, received mechanical circulatory support or been referred overseas for transplantation; (b) whether the Ministry will establish a national paediatric heart transplant programme involving National University Hospital (NUH), KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) and National Heart Centre Singapore; and (c) if so, by when.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Data from the Public Healthcare Institutions showed that 12 children with end-stage heart failure have received mechanical circulatory support or been referred overseas for heart transplantation in the last 10 years.

The Ministry of Health will study the need and feasibility to establish a national paediatric heart transplant programme, considering patient volume, clinical outcomes, specialised clinical expertise and long-term sustainability of the programme.