Respiratory cases rising amid haze; MOH activates subsidy scheme for first time since 2015: Ong Ye Kung

The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday (Oct 11) announced that it will be activating both the Public Health Preparedness Clinic (PHPC) scheme and the Haze Subsidy Scheme (HSS).

This will help Singaporeans with their haze-related medical needs given the deterioration in air quality due to transboundary haze, the ministry said in a press release on Sunday.

The move comes as Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said he is seeing a rising number of people seeking treatment for respiratory ailments as haze conditions worsen.

"I'm seeing a week-on-week uptick in the number of people visiting the EDs, the emergency departments with respiratory issues, and also more people visiting polyclinics," Ong told reporters on Sunday.

He added that the haze situation is unlikely to ease anytime soon, saying: "We're likely to see this haze condition go on for a few more weeks."

"So, given that I think more Singaporeans [are] having respiratory issues, we're going to activate our two schemes. This is the PHPC scheme and the HSS scheme," he said.

It is the latest in a series of announcements since Friday, when the Government's Haze Task Force (HTF) announced its next tier of action plans and advisories to protect the health and well-being of the public, especially vulnerable groups including the elderly, pregnant women, children, and those with chronic lung and heart diseases.

The PHPC scheme is intended to coordinate primary care responses and provide subsidised care during health alerts and emergencies.

The last time the HSS was activated was in 2015, while the PHPC network was most recently mobilised during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fees and eligibility

Under the scheme, eligible Singapore citizens under public assistance will enjoy fully-subsidised care, while seniors who are from the Pioneer and Merdeka generations will pay no more than $5.

Other groups of eligible Singaporeans will have their fees capped at $10.

The following groups of Singapore citizens are eligible for the subsidy at PHPCs:

Children aged 18 and below.

Elderly aged 65 and above.

Individuals who are on public assistance, Pioneer Generation, Merdeka Generation, Community Health Assist Scheme's (CHAS) blue and orange cardholders, and medical fee exemption card.

"With the activation of the PHPC and HSS schemes, participating general practitioner (GP) clinics and all polyclinics can provide children, the elderly, and lower- to middle-income Singaporeans with affordable care for haze-related conditions," MOH said.

Ong said that close to 1,000 of the roughly 1,370 clinics in the PHPC network had already responded positively to the activation as of Sunday morning. He also urged Singaporeans with non-emergency respiratory conditions to seek treatment at participating clinics instead of hospital emergency departments.

"If there's no major issues, don't have to visit the emergency department. Go to a PHPC clinic. They should be able to take care of you," he said.

Haze Task Force announces next tier of action plans

On Friday evening, the Government's Haze Task Force, comprising NEA and 28 Government agencies said it is prepared for the scenario of air quality reaching the very unhealthy range .

"HTF agencies stand ready to roll out the next tier of action plans and advisories to protect the health and well-being of the public, especially vulnerable groups including the elderly, pregnant women, children, and those with chronic lung and heart diseases."

It announced various measures such as the distribution of N95 masks for Singaporeans who may be more vulnerable, the opening of haze shelters should PSI cross 201, and advisories relating to preschools, schools and workplaces.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Saturday reiterated the Government's concern about public health, and said she has been in touch with her Indonesian counterpart .

The minister also revealed that Singapore has offered support in managing forest fires.

Education Minister Desmond Lee also took to Facebook on Saturday evening, reiterating that the health and well-being of students and staff remains his ministry's top priority.

He also assured parents that lessons and national examinations will continue in enclosed venues with air purifiers, and schools are ready to step up measures if needed.

卫生部（MOH）于周日（10 月 11 日）宣布，将启动公共卫生准备诊所（PHPC）计划和雾霾补贴计划（HSS）。

卫生部周日在一份新闻稿中表示，鉴于跨境雾霾导致空气质量恶化，这将有助于新加坡人满足与雾霾相关的医疗需求。

卫生部长王乙康表示，随着雾霾情况恶化，前来就诊的呼吸系统疾病患者人数不断增加，此举正值此时。

“我看到每周到急诊室就诊的呼吸系统疾病患者人数都在增加，到综合诊所就诊的人数也在增加，”翁周日告诉记者。

他还补充说，雾霾情况不太可能很快缓解，并表示：“这种雾霾状况可能会持续几周。”

“鉴于我认为越来越多的新加坡人出现呼吸系统问题，我们将启动两项计划。一项是PHPC计划，另一项是HSS计划，”他说。

这是自上周五以来一系列公告中的最新一项。当时，政府的雾霾工作组 (HTF) 宣布了下一阶段的行动计划和建议，以保护公众的健康和福祉，特别是包括老年人、孕妇、儿童以及患有慢性肺病和心脏病的弱势群体。

PHPC计划旨在协调基层医疗应对措施，并在健康警报和紧急情况下提供补贴医疗服务。

HSS 上一次启动是在 2015 年，而 PHPC 网络最近一次动员是在 Covid-19 大流行期间。

费用和资格

根据该计划，符合条件的领取公共援助的新加坡公民将享受全额补贴的护理，而建国一代和独立一代的老年人只需支付不超过 5 新元的费用。

其他符合条件的新加坡公民的费用上限为 10 美元。

以下新加坡公民群体有资格在公共医疗保健中心享受补贴：

18岁及以下儿童。

65岁及以上的老年人。

领取公共援助金的人士、建国一代、独立一代、社区健康援助计划（CHAS）蓝卡和橙卡持有者以及医疗费用豁免卡持有者。

卫生部表示：“随着PHPC和HSS计划的启动，参与的全科医生诊所和所有综合诊所可以为儿童、老年人和中低收入新加坡人提供负担得起的雾霾相关疾病治疗。”

王乙康表示，截至周日上午，在全民健康护理计划（PHPC）网络覆盖的约1370家诊所中，已有近1000家积极响应了该计划的启动。他还敦促新加坡民众，如果出现非紧急呼吸系统疾病，应前往参与该计划的诊所就诊，而不是前往医院急诊部。

他说：“如果没有重大问题，就不用去急诊室。去基层医疗诊所就诊。他们应该能照顾好你。”

雾霾工作组宣布下一阶段行动计划

周五晚上，由国家环境局和 28 个政府机构组成的政府雾霾工作组表示，已做好应对空气质量达到非常不健康范围的准备。

“HTF 各机构已做好准备，推出下一阶段的行动计划和建议，以保护公众的健康和福祉，特别是包括老年人、孕妇、儿童以及患有慢性肺病和心脏病的弱势群体。”

它宣布了各种措施，例如向可能更易受感染的新加坡人分发 N95 口罩，如果 PSI 超过 201，则开放雾霾避难所，以及与幼儿园、学校和工作场所相关的建议。

新加坡永续发展及环境部长傅海燕周六重申了政府对公众健康的关注，并表示她已与印尼对口官员取得联系。

部长还透露，新加坡已表示愿意在应对森林火灾方面提供支持。

教育部长李智陞周六晚间也在脸书上发文重申，学生和教职员工的健康和福祉仍然是教育部的首要任务。

他还向家长保证，课程和全国性考试将在配备空气净化器的封闭场所继续进行，学校也已做好准备，如有必要，将加强防控措施。