Funding and Support for Patients with Rare Diseases and Their Caregivers

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health (a) besides MediFund and MediSave, what other sources of funding can patients or caregivers of patients with rare diseases tap on when the treatments are not covered by the Rare Disease Fund considering that treatments are often expensive; and (b) whether the Ministry can provide avenues for social support to caregivers of patients with rare diseases so that they do not feel isolated.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Patients who are ineligible or not supported by Rare Disease Fund (RDF) may be supported by other charity funds. We encourage members of the public to donate to RDF, so that more Singaporeans with rare diseases can be supported. Every dollar donated to the RDF will be matched by three dollars from the Government.

As for caregivers, there are various initiatives they can draw support from, such as the Caregiver Support Networks (CSNs). Caregivers can also call the Agency for Integrated Care's (AIC's) hotline or approach a nearby AIC Link for assistance.