KIDNEY DIALYSIS CENTRES FOR RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS

KIDNEY DIALYSIS CENTRES FOR RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS

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(Establishment at regional hospitals): **

4.

Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked the Minister for Health whether kidney dialysis centres for retired civil servants can be set up at regional hospitals (Changi General Hospital (East), National University Hospital (West), Tan Tock Seng (Central)) to meet the needs of retired civil servants living in these respective areas.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Routine kidney dialysis is best carried out at neighbourhood kidney dialysis centres. This reduces running cost and is also more convenient for the patients. It is not necessary for such treatment to be carried out within acute hospitals. (Some hospitals do provide kidney dialysis but for patients with serious or complex conditions.)

There are many such neighbourhood kidney dialysis centres in Singapore, run by public, private and charity sectors.

The Civil Service medical benefits do cover kidney dialysis treatment at private dialysis centres. The patients will be subsidised according to the provisions of their medical benefits schemes, capped at $190 per dialysis. This is similar to the subsidy that they currently enjoy when they visit charity-run dialysis centres.

It is therefore not necessary to set up dedicated dialysis centres in general hospitals for use by retired civil servants.