Gang-Rape Victim Sent from India for Treatment in Singapore

Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Health (a) what role did the Ministry play in the bringing of the 23-year-old gang rape victim from India to Singapore for treatment; and (b) what is the Ministry's position on the acceptance of the critically-ill patient in view of allegations that India was passing the responsibility of treating the patient to Singapore.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: From time to time, patients are medically evacuated into Singapore for treatment. Such decisions are made following discussions between the hospital and those transferring the patient. My Ministry was not involved in this transfer. The Indian High Commission subsequently informed our Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the transfer to facilitate the patient's entry into Singapore.

All public and private hospitals in Singapore have protocols and standard operating procedures in place for receiving patients who are medically evacuated. The hospitals are not required to inform MOH when they accept patients transferred from foreign hospitals for management, except for those with infectious diseases where significant public health risks exist.