MENTALLY DEFECTIVE CHILDREN (Ward facilities)

Mr Hwang Soo Jin asked the Minister for Health what is the total number of beds available for mentally defective children in the ward situated behind the Woodbridge Hospital as against the number of children waiting to be admitted; and what steps are being or will be taken to expand the facilities available at that ward.

The Minister for Health (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the total number of beds in the Mental Defective Unit at Woodbridge Hospital is 45. The number of children on the waiting list stands at 350.

Steps are not being taken to expand the facilities to accommodate more of this category of children. We feel that this is an area where voluntary organisations can play their part by setting up homes for the mentally defective children.

There is at present a Mental Defective Children's Home at 9 3/4 m.s. Tampines Road which was set up by the Singapore Association for Retarded Children in February 1969, with the help of the Ministry of Health.

The home has a capacity for approximately 50 children. A sub-committee of the Association runs the home and it is composed of members of women's organisations, businessmen, doctors, almoners and nursing personnel. There are at present about 44 inmates in the homes.