Singapore to roll out haze subsidies at GP clinics, polyclinics from Oct 12

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) will activate the haze subsidy scheme at Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) and polyclinics from Monday (Oct 12), as air quality deteriorates across the country due to transboundary haze.

All Singapore citizens will be eligible for the subsidies at polyclinics, while eligibility at participating PHPCs will be limited to certain groups, including children and seniors.

Public Assistance cardholders will receive fully subsidised care, Pioneer and Merdeka Generation seniors will pay no more than S$5 (US$3.90), while fees for other eligible Singaporeans will be capped at S$10.

The haze subsidy scheme was last activated in 2015, when Singapore experienced one of its worst haze episodes as smoke from forest fires in Indonesia affected the region for weeks.

The ministry will also activate the PHPC scheme, which aims to coordinate primary care responses and provide subsidised care during health alerts and emergencies, including haze and more recently for COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters at an event at Bukit Canberra on Sunday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said he had observed a week-on-week increase in patients with respiratory issues at emergency departments, with polyclinics also seeing more such cases.

People with more serious conditions should continue to seek treatment at emergency departments, but respiratory issues that can be managed at the primary care level should be treated at clinics instead, Mr Ong added.

“We are very careful in protecting that resource because people need to go there for life and death situations,” he said, referring to emergency departments.

“We want to make sure we give people assurance … that doctors, family physicians, can take care of you,” he said.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE

At participating PHPCs, Singapore citizens aged 18 and below or 65 and above will be eligible for the subsidies.

The subsidies will also be available to those on Public Assistance, Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation schemes, CHAS Blue and Orange cardholders, and Medical Fee Exemption Card holders.

All Singapore citizens will be eligible at polyclinics.

Conditions covered under the haze subsidy scheme include allergic rhinitis, asthma, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, upper respiratory tract infection and their complications.

The public can refer to the MOH website for a list of participating PHPCs. Participating clinics can also be identified by their PHPC decal or haze subsidy scheme poster.

HAZE SITUATION

Air quality across Singapore remained in the unhealthy range on Sunday amid continued hazy conditions.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Saturday that the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) was forecast to be in the unhealthy to high unhealthy range for the next 24 hours.

The 24-hour PSI reached new highs for this year's haze season on Friday, with the central region registering a reading of 192 at 5pm.

Singapore’s 28-agency Haze Task Force has said it is ready to roll out additional measures should the 24-hour PSI exceed 200.

These include distributing N95 masks to eligible Singaporeans and setting up air-conditioned haze shelters at community clubs, as well as selected residents' committee and residents' network centres.

Healthcare institutions, including public hospitals, polyclinics and nursing homes, have activated haze preparedness measures, including using air purifiers, closing windows in wards and corridors, and reducing ambient temperature through portable air coolers, where appropriate.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) will consider closing schools when the air quality forecast for the next day is in the hazardous range with the 24-hour PSI exceeding 300.

Education Minister Desmond Lee said on Saturday that any decision to close schools would be announced by around 8pm the day before through schools and MOE's official channels.

He added that the ministry would continue monitoring the situation each day and assess whether schools should remain open the following day.

Meanwhile, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said Singapore is prepared to help Indonesia in fighting forest fires wherever necessary amid the ongoing haze.

Indonesia is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, with super El Nino weather conditions parching the country's forests and fields.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni told Indonesian media last month that wildfires could go on until early November, with the rainy season expected to arrive late, as he urged people to stop using fire to clear land during an extended drought.