GEIS-新闻详情

More than 100 doctors and nurses have signed up to join home vaccination efforts: Ong Ye Kung

2021-08-10 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

SINGAPORE - More than 100 doctors and nurses have stepped forward over the National Day weekend to assist with home vaccination efforts.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung told The Straits Times on Monday (Aug 9) that 48 doctors and 56 nurses have signed up with SG Healthcare Corps in the 72 hours since he put up his appeal on social media for medical professionals to volunteer their services to provide vaccinations to seniors confined at home.

Calling the response very encouraging, Mr Ong said that every vaccinated senior is one more senior protected against Covid-19.

"We are following up with the volunteers, and hope this can help us double the number of home vaccination teams to reduce the wait time significantly," he said.

The SG Healthcare Corps is a medical reserve force launched in April last year to marshal volunteers in the fight against Covid-19. It consists mainly of medical staff from the private sector, retired medical professionals, as well as those who are medically trained but no longer practising.

At a press conference on Friday (Aug 6), Mr Ong said the demand from homebound seniors is "very sizeable and growing", and the current waiting time for them before they get jabbed is "now about eight weeks, which is quite long."

"Our home vaccination teams have been working flat out to vaccinate them at home...MOH will have to beef up our resources, increase the number of home vaccination teams in order to cut down the time," he said. "To do so, we will need more teams."

Last Friday, Mr Ong had asked on his Facebook and Instagram pages for nurses and doctors to come forward and sign up under the SG Healthcare Corps, so that more such seniors can be vaccinated soon.

There are currently about a dozen home vaccination teams which are run by home care providers Speedoc, Jaga-Me, and Edgedale Medical Clinic.

Mr Ong said his ministry is aiming to double the number of home vaccination teams so as to reduce the waiting time significantly.

He thanked the medical professionals who have come forward: "My deepest appreciation to the volunteer doctors and nurses. I salute your sense of duty and commitment."

As at Aug 4, about 1,200 homebound individuals have received their shots by the home vaccination teams, including three fully vaccinated seniors from Pulau Ubin, said MOH.

On Monday, MOH said the long waiting time is due to high demand for home vaccination.

"Our joint publicity efforts with the People's Association and Silver Generation Office have led to higher awareness for the need to get vaccinated," it said.