Working with Hospitals to Increase Use of Infant Car Seats
Ministry of TransportSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns efforts by the Ministry of Transport to collaborate with hospitals to increase the use of infant car seats. MP Louis Ng Kok Kwang inquired if recommendations regarding prenatal education and the provision of car seats upon hospital discharge had been implemented. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng responded that the Traffic Police currently partner with KK Women's and Children's Hospital on road safety education and child restraint awareness. However, he noted there are no plans to further increase access through hospitals as car seats are not covered under Ministry of Health subsidies. Consequently, the government maintains that various child restraint solutions are already available and that awareness remains the primary focus.
Transcript
2 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Transport what are the steps the Ministry has taken to work with hospitals in increasing access to the use of infant car seats.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport (Mr Baey Yam Keng) (for the Minister for Transport): Mr Speaker, please allow me, on behalf of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and Public Utilities Board, to wish everybody a Happy Water Day.
Now, back to the Ministry of Transport (MOT). Sir, the requirement for the use of appropriate child restraints in private vehicles, such as infant car seats, is a long-standing one which parents are generally aware of.
A range of child restraint solutions are available in the market. We have no plans to work with hospitals to further increase access to the use of infant car seats.
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Thank you, Sir. In my Adjournment Motion about a year ago, I had raised this as a recommendation for MOT to work with the hospitals to increase access and use of infant car seats. I believe the Senior Parliamentary Secretary replied in his speech that this is a new idea that he would share with relevant agencies and stakeholders.
So, could I ask whether this recommendation has been shared the relevant stakeholders and the relevant agencies as well? And two, whether the recommendations I proposed have been looked into, which included, I believe, for the hospitals to include in their prenatal class the use of infant car seats, the provision of infant car seats to parents who, upon discharge, do not have one, even adding it in the bill. I believe the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said all these will be looked into.
Mr Baey Yam Keng: Yes, indeed, we did look into it. And since then, we have checked with the agencies to understand that currently the Traffic Police has partnered KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) to educate the public on road safety, including road safety for child passengers. For example, the Traffic Police provided input for KKH's educational collaterals on the use of use of child car seats. Such collaborations have been increasing awareness among parents, especially new parents, about the requirements for child restraints and their correct use.
These current arrangements already are helping parents and we know many parents are concerned about the safety of their children.
As for the Ministry of Health (MOH), MOH's budget subsidises healthcare with the aim of ensuring that basic healthcare remains affordable and accessible for the general population. This includes healthcare services, drugs, devices and various therapeutics and medical technology. Infant car seats are not within the scope of healthcare subsidies.