Updated COVID-19 Healthcare and Treatment Protocols and Measures to Ensure Adequate Rest and Leave for Healthcare Professionals

1 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry is aware of any employers in the healthcare sector which at any time in the past three years have specified or indicated to their employees that their taking of medical leave may affect performance assessments or bonuses; (b) what is the Ministry’s assessment of such practices given the COVID-19 pandemic; and (c) what recourse is available to workers who encounter such practices.

2 Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for Health with regard to the discharge of COVID-19 positive patients who required oxygen supplementation or were warded in intensive care units in August and September 2021, what is the proportion of such patients who (i) have fully recovered and (ii) suffer from long-term health consequences, with the breakdown according to patients who were unvaccinated and partially vaccinated or fully vaccinated respectively.

3 Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo asked the Minister for Health what further measures are required to reduce the number of serious cases and deaths from COVID-19.

4 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the reason for the increased number of deaths due to COVID-19 over the last two months; and (b) what more can be done to reduce deaths among both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents.

5 Dr Shahira Abdullah asked the Minister for Health what percentage of vaccinated patients who died from COVID-19 have underlying conditions which are actually well-controlled.

6 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the percentage of staff in our public healthcare facilities who will not be able to clear their accumulated annual leave for 2021; (b) whether this is a significant increase as compared to 2020 and 2019; and (c) whether there are plans to help frontline healthcare workers take a break from the prolonged fight against COVID-19.

7 Mr Sharael Taha asked the Minister for Health (a) what are the main underlying conditions that resulted in the COVID-19 fatalities; and (b) whether individuals with underlying conditions are monitored and treated separately when they are infected.

8 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Health (a) how many days of leave have been taken by hospital healthcare and allied staff each month since January 2020; (b) what steps will be taken to minimise and reduce leave being cancelled for such staff due to capacity issues; and (c) whether there can be mandated mental well-being off days for healthcare staff such as that announced by Tan Tock Seng Hospital recently.

9 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health in light of recent reports about manpower crunch in healthcare due to increase in COVID-19 cases (a) whether he can provide an update on the current healthcare manpower crunch; (b) what is being done to protect healthcare workers' physical and psychological well-being; and (c) what are the plans to provide relief to healthcare workers if the current situation is prolonged.

10 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry tracks the average number of hours worked monthly by nurses in public hospitals (excluding those who are required to self-isolate) and, if so, what is the data for the past month.

The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 1 to 10 as part of a Ministerial Statement delivered on behalf of the Minister for Health later in this Sitting?

Mr Speaker: Please do.

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Thank you, Sir.