INDUSTRIAL HEALTH SERVICE

Mr Yeoh Ghim Seng asked the Minister for Health when he wil1l start an Industrial Health Service in view of the rapid expansion of industries in our Nation.

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: In keeping with our rapidly industrialising society, the Ministry of Health has already taken initial steps to establish an Industrial Health Service in Singapore.

In April last year, a Health Officer, already holding a Diploma in Public Health, returned from the United Kingdom after successfully completing one year's training in Industrial Health and obtaining the postgraduate Diploma in industrial Health. At present, two officers with civil engineering qualifications are being trained in the United Kingdom in postgraduate Public Health Engineering course and, on their return later this year, will cover the engineering aspects of industrial health. Also the Chemistry Division of the Ministry has been granted a Fellowship in the United Kingdom this year under the Colombo Plan for a chemist to study air pollution, trade waste analysis and microbiological assays to complement the new industrial health service that is to be established.

Liaison is also being maintained at present with the Factories Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labour through the Environmental Health Branch of the Ministry in making available the Health Officer with the Diploma in Industrial Health on a part-time basis to advise on medical aspects of factories inspection.

Furthermore, two consultants, one from the World Health Organisation and the other from the international Labour Organisation, are due to arrive in Singapore this year to advise Government on the proposed pattern of development of industrial health; in particular, how the specialised aspects of industrial health should be organised and developed.

Only when more staff are being trained in the different aspects of industrial health can a full-fledged industrial Health Service be brought into being, and every effort is being made to bring this about as soon as possible.