Suicides of Migrant Workers
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the suicide statistics of migrant workers and measures for early mental illness detection, as raised by MP Louis Ng Kok Kwang. Minister for Manpower Lim Swee Say reported that between 2014 and 2016, an average of 32 work permit holders committed suicide annually, which represents a suicide rate lower than the national average. He detailed mandatory pre-employment medical examinations that include mental state assessments and outreach initiatives like the Settling in Programme and Foreign Worker Ambassadors. Counseling services are provided through NGO partnerships with groups like the Migrant Worker Centre and Silver Ribbon, with contact details distributed through newsletters and card sleeves. Finally, the Minister emphasized the importance of employers and workers referring those showing signs of stress to professional help or medical organizations.
Transcript
24 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the number of suicides of migrant workers for each year in the past three years; and (b) what measures are there for early detection of mental illnesses amongst migrant workers.
Mr Lim Swee Say: From 2014 to 2016, an average of 32 work permit holders, including foreign domestic workers, committed suicide each year. This translates into a suicide rate of 3.25 per 100,000 work permit holders. The suicide rate for the total population, including both residents and non-residents, was 7.54 per 100,000 people over the same period.
All work permit holders go through a mandatory pre-employment medical examination before they start work in Singapore. The medical examination requires the doctor to perform a set of clinical examinations of various medical conditions, including a basic assessment of the mental state of the work permit holder.
MOM actively reaches out to workers through education programmes, newsletters and guidebooks that cover issues such as mental well-being and managing stress. These include the Foreign Domestic Worker Settling in Programme (SIP) as well as the annual INFORM newsletter in the foreign domestic worker's native language. MOM Foreign Worker Ambassadors also reach out to foreign workers at their dormitories and workplaces. Avenues of help are communicated through these programmes as well as through collaterals like card sleeves which are issued to all foreign workers and foreign domestic workers when they receive their work permit. These include contacts of non-government organisations (NGOs) like the Migrant Worker Centre and Centre for Domestic Employees which partner with organisations, such as Silver Ribbon, to provide counselling services.
We also need employers and workers to work together to be alert to any worker showing early signs of mental stress and to refer them to organisations, such as the Samaritans of Singapore, Silver Ribbon or medical professionals, so that they can receive timely help.