OUTPATIENT CLINICS (Adequacy of)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for Health whether the number of outpatient clinics is adequate and the clinics are suitably sited to serve the increasing and shifting population, and, if not, what measures his Ministry is taking in the matter.

The Minister for Health (Dr Toh Chin Chye): Mr Speaker, Sir, at present, there are 26 outpatient dispensaries (OPDs) and 30 maternal and child health (MCH) clinics in Singapore. The OPDs offer general curative services to the public while the MCH clinics provide preventive health care to pregnant women, infants and pre-school children, and at the same time offer family planning services.

With the shift of population to Housing and Development Board new towns, the Ministry plans to build a polyclinic where there is a concentration of 100,000 people or more. These polyclinics will provide comprehensive health care which includes curative, preventive, dental and home nursing services. Within this year, three such polyclinics in Bedok, Clementi and Bukit Merah new towns will start operations, and in 1980 a polyclinic in Ang Mo Kio new town is expected to start functioning. The Ministry of Health proposes to establish polyclinics wherever HDB new towns are planned.

Because of the population shift, some of the existing OPDs and MCH clinics which are experiencing low attendances have been closed. Where facilities are available, OPDs and MCH clinics which are now functioning in separate buildings will be integrated under one roof for the greater convenience of patients.