FURTHER MEASURES AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS

Mr John Ede asked the Minister for Health whether he will make a statement on what further measures the Government proposes to take in the campaign against tuberculosis in the light of the findings of the Government Tuberculosis Survey.

Mr Braga: Until the financial position becomes clearer and the full facts of the Survey are available, I am not as yet in a position to formulate with any definiteness further measures. But the whole matter will certainly be reviewed.

Mr John Ede: Mr Speaker, Sir, in view of the fact that there will be more cases of tuberculosis requiring hospitalization, in addition to those already on the waiting list mentioned as 850, will the Minister please explain why it has been decided to change a T.B. ward into a Nurses' hostel?

Mr Braga: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the hon. Member does not remember what was said here in the debate on the 1958 Estimates. At page 421, the House approved only $1,000 with which to construct a Nurses' hostel and training school, although the estimated cost is $2-million, the reason being that it was then beyond the building capacity of the Public Works Department.

With regard to the use of the present wards for training of hospital nurses, I do not mind admitting that there is a shortage of staff. It was found necessary for the present to get the number of our trained assistant nurses up to scratch.

Mr John Ede: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I remind the Minister that only last month we sanctioned $62,000 to convert, a T.B. ward into a Nurses' hostel on the grounds that there was no need for extra beds for T.B. patients. Would he now explain what is meant by 850 on the waiting list?

Mr Braga: Mr Speaker, Sir, I said that although these people are on the waiting list for treatment, very often by the time their turn comes, they have so improved that they do not need hospitalization.

Mr John Ede: Mr Speaker, Sir, will the Government consider presenting a White Paper setting out the whole T.B. problem as revealed by the survey as a matter of public importance?

Mr Braga: That will be duly considered.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Mr Speaker, Sir, did I hear the Minister right? In effect he is suggesting that it is better to be outside the hospital waiting for your turn to get in, and recover before you get in, than to be inside the hospital receiving treatment?

Mr Braga: I made no such suggestion, Sir, although I did say that those on the waiting list are being treated. In the Tan Tock Seng Hospital there are three wards each with a 34-bed capacity lying vacant, and the reason why we have not been able to use these beds is that there is a great shortage of nursing staff. One block of 206 beds, originally intended for T.B. patients, is used temporarily as a hostel and a school for the training of assistant nurses. This is a temporary measure. In order to meet the need of staff, we used part of the accommodation as a nursing school and hostel. Consideration has been given to the recruitment of nursing sisters from elsewhere. There is additional accommodation available in the new building environments of the Woodbridge Hospital, having a bed capacity of about 240.

Mr John Ede: Will the Minister explain why the beds at the Woodbridge Hospital are not yet ready to take in the patients?

Mr Braga: I believe they are ready.