STANDARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE OF LOCAL DOCTORS

Dr Tan Cheng Bock asked the Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister for Health if he will clarify his statement that "The success of a medical centre, in large measure, depends on the reputation of the foreign doctors we can attract to Singapore."; whether it implied that the standard of medical practice of local doctors fell short of his expectation and, if so, how does he explain the increasing number of foreigners who come to Singapore for medical treatment.

Mr Goh Chok Tong: We have one of the best medical practices in Asia. There is no question about that. The increasing number of foreigners coming to Singapore for medical treatment testified to this. The credit goes largely to our local doctors as only 10% of the doctors in the medical register as at 31st December 1980 were non-Singaporeans.

The question is: how do we build upon our indigenous strength to become an international centre of medical excellence? We are good in standard disciplines such as general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, internal medicine and many specialities such as cardiovascular surgery and neuro-surgery. We have inadequate number of specialists elsewhere, such as ophthalmic and ENT surgeons. Even for those disciplines in which we are good in, we can become better by inviting distinguished specialists to practise in Singapore, for short periods if necessary and for long periods if possible. The presence of a large number of reputable doctors in Singapore is necessary before we can succeed as an international medical centre. Hence, the importance of attracting foreign doctors of eminence to Singapore to give added strength to our medical service.