PROGRAMMES OF EXPANSION (Hospitals)

Mr Lim Choon Mong asked the Minister for Health whether he will give details of the programmes of expansion of existing facilities in the Hospitals; the approximate dates when such expansion programmes will begin; and the approximate dates when such expansion programmes will be completed.

Mr A. J. Braga: Programmes of expansion of existing facilities in the Hospitals involve: -

(a) The General Hospital, which is being expanded to a total of about 1,300 beds and where provision of resident accommodation for House Doctors and for additional Student Nurses is being made.

(b) The Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which is being expanded to about 1,100 beds, with expanded Out-patient facilities. The provision of accommodation for training of student assistant nurses is being planned.

(c) The Kandang.Kerbau Hospital, which is being expanded to about 450 beds and where provision of additional accommodation for resident doctors and for pupil midwives also is planned.

(d) The Woodbridge Hospital, which is to have an additional 240 beds and where a special department for Mental Defectives is planned.

(e) The Trafalgar Leprosy Home where additional accommodation for about 250 patients is proposed.

(f) The St. Andrew's Orthopaedic Hospital for Children where an additional 80 beds is proposed.

(g) The Middle Road Hospital where a general Out-patient Department has been planned.

With the exception of the last three hospitals the programme of expansion has already started and is well under way. Subject to the availability of funds it is hoped that it will be possible to commence work on the last named two hospitals in 1957 and on the Trafalgar Home expansion in 1956.

The expansion programme should be completed by 1960.