TIONG BAHRU OUTPATIENT DISPENSARY (Expansion of)

Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon asked the Minister for Health, in view of the inadequate space at the existing Tiong Bahru Outpatient Dispensary at Jalan Membina, whether he has any plans for the expansion of that Dispensary in order to ease the overcrowding.

Dr Toh Chin Chye: Sir, the Ministry was aware as early as 1976 that there was overcrowding at the Tiong Bahru Outpatient Department. Now we are in the Year of our Lord 1978. It has taken us two years of correspondence to-ing and fro-ing between the officials of my Ministry and the Housing and Development Board, so that they can allocate us two suitable units of flats to be rented to us. Then we have got to correspond with the Senior Architect (Works and Buildings) and the Senior Architect's plan has got to be handed to the Housing and Development Board's architects for their approval. We also have to approach the Government Building Committee for approval to rent the two units of Housing and Development Board flats. Then we have to approach Budget Division to seek the release of funds so that renovation work can be put up. All I can say is that, after two long last years, I can assure the Member for Tiong Bahru that the Outpatient Dispensary in his constituency will see some improvement in the year 1978.