Kaleidoscope is a virtual local fundraiser for cancer patients with all proceeds going to the Courage Cabinet at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, which provides financial assistance to cancer patients in the area undergoing treatment.
An online auction of items donated by area businesses and CRMC staff is scheduled from Monday, October 25 at 8 a.m. to Thursday, October 28 at 8 p.m., at CRMC2021.givesmart.com.
“While this event was meant to be an in-person fundraising event, CRMC decided to pursue a virtual option due to the increased COVID positivity rate in the region,” Charity Fund Coordinator Jennifer Podsiadly said in a report. Press release. “We were convinced that we could not postpone Kaleidoscope because cancer patients count on our love and financial support and need us. “
People are also invited to participate in the #cuyunacares social media awareness campaign by celebrating the survivors in their lives, remembering a loved one or sharing their support for others. Donations can also be made at CRMC2021.givesmart.com.
Podsiadly will be speaking about the Kaleidoscope event and Cabinet Courage at the CRMC Virtual Cancer Support Group from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, October 21.
The group is an opportunity to share experiences and to help each other, to listen and to learn.
Virtual Cancer Support Group meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month with a new topic each month. Registration for the support group is not required and participation is free.
Send a message requesting a meeting link to [email protected] Call 218-546-4319 or 218-546-4302 for more information.
To date this year, Cabinet Courage has provided assistance of $ 24,500 to cancer patients to help them meet their basic needs, reduce stress and allow them to focus on their recovery and healing. Over the past three years, more than $ 51,500 has been donated to help cancer patients undergoing treatment.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities or to donate an item to auction, contact Podsiadly at [email protected], 218-545-4455.
The medical tourism market is expected to grow in the forecast, owing to factors such as the availability of cheaper treatment options, the increasing number of surgeries like dental, cosmetic, fertility and other care and the availability of healthcare professionals. qualified healthcare at a lower price in the market during the forecast period.
However, ethical concerns, legal issues, and the risk of contracting regional infectious disease are some of the factors hampering the growth of the market.
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Analysis of key players:
Bumrungrad International Hospital
Samitivej Hospitals
Bangkok Hospital Group
Fortis Health Limited
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited
Hamad Medical Society
Asklepios Kliniken Gmbh
Sunway Medical Center
Yanhee International Hospital
Asian Heart Institute
What’s included Market dynamics Competitive analysis Market trends and market outlook Market share and market size Analysis of opportunities and customers Product price research
The research report has been compiled by studying the market in depth along with the drivers, opportunities, restraints, and other strategies along with new developments that can help a reader to understand the exact market situation along with the factors that may limit or hamper the growth of the market and the report has also been updated with Impacts and effects of the coronavirus pandemic and how it has influenced consumer behavior and the growth of the market as well as industries.
The COVID-19 epidemic is currently spreading around the world, the medical tourism market report covers the impact of the coronavirus on the growth of the largest business. This research report ranks among the major players in the medical tourism market and also presents a comprehensive study of the Covid-19 impact analysis of the market by regions like (Americas, Europe APAC and EMEA).
The global medical tourism market is segmented on the basis of type, surgical site, end user, and geography. Based on the type of treatment, the market is segmented into dental treatment, cosmetic treatment, cardiovascular treatment, orthopedic treatment, neurological treatment, cancer treatment, fertility treatment, and other treatments.
The report offers key drivers that are propelling the growth of the global medical tourism market. This information helps market players design strategies to gain market presence. The research also highlighted the constraints of the market. Opportunity information is mentioned to help market players take further action by determining potential in untapped regions.
The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including qualitative and quantitative insights. It provides an overview and forecast of the medical tourism market based on various segments. It also provides market size estimates and forecast from 2020 to 2028 for five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South and Central America. The medical tourism market of each region is then sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast for 18 countries globally along with current trends and opportunities prevailing in the region.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 1.2. THE DIRECTION OF THE INSIGHT PARTNERS RESEARCH REPORT 1.3. MARKET SEGMENTATION 1.3.1 Medical Tourism Market – By Treatment Type 1.3.2 Medical Tourism Market – by Region 1.3.2.1 By country 2. MAIN POINTS TO REMEMBER 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4. MEDICAL TOURISM MARKET LANDSCAPE 4.1. PREVIEW 4.2. PEST ANALYSIS 4.2.1 North America – Pest Analysis 4.2.2 Europe – Pest Analysis 4.2.3 Asia-Pacific – Pest Analysis 4.2.4 Middle East and Africa – Pest Analysis 4.2.5 South and Central America – Pest Analysis 4.3. EXPERT OPINIONS 5. MEDICAL TOURISM MARKET – KEY MARKET DYNAMICS 5.1. MAIN MARKET DRIVERS 5.2. MAIN MARKET CONSTRAINTS 5.3. KEY MARKET OPPORTUNITIES 5.4. FUTURE TRENDS …
About Us The Insight Partners is a one-stop-shop for industrial research in actionable intelligence. We help our clients find solutions to their research needs through our syndicated research and advisory services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductors & Electronics, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Transportation, Biotechnology, Health Informatics, Manufacturing & Construction, Medical Devices , technology, media and telecommunications, food and beverage, consumer goods, chemicals and materials.
About Us The Insight Partners is a one-stop-shop for industrial research in actionable intelligence. We help our clients find solutions to their research needs through our syndicated research and advisory services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductors & Electronics, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Transportation, Biotechnology, Health Informatics, Manufacturing & Construction, Medical Devices , technology, media and telecommunications, food and beverage, consumer goods, chemicals and materials.
The ownership and administration of Springhill Medical Center seeks every opportunity to show their appreciation to SMC employees. Our caregivers are unwavering in their dedication to our patients. This genuine concern is what emerges in times of crisis. It’s inspiring to say the least, and “Thank you” never seems to be enough. They put their health and well-being on the line to treat the sick. They put in intense hours of demanding work and persevered even when short-staffed. Every day, they equip themselves with hot and bulky PPE to make sure our patients, colleagues, doctors and the community are protected. They faced whatever happened to them with grace and endurance. The work they do is truly amazing, and we are so inspired by their commitment and dedication to their community.
Mr. Paul Read is Executive Director of Nursing and Vice President of Springhill Medical Center, where he graduated from the University of Mobile School of Nursing in 1998.
His employment with Springhill began in 1990 as a unit secretary in the intensive care unit. He began his nursing career at Springhill in the intensive care unit in 1998. In 2000, he became the nurse manager of the intensive care and intensive care unit. He was credited with creating a more family-friendly environment for employees, which was evident in the quality care received by patients.
In 2002, he was asked to take on the position of Director of Nursing for Springhill and was tasked with promoting nursing and improving the quality of care hospital-wide. Mr. Read did this by setting an example for all nurse managers. He “rolled up his sleeves” and mobilized whenever necessary. Her actions have shown that great nursing care starts at the top. He obtained his Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of Mobile in 2005.
Mr. Read graduated from Leadership Mobile in 2005, and since then has been a speaker for discussions regarding health issues in Mobile and Baldwin counties. In 2005, the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing at the University of Southern Alabama, Zeta Gamma Chapter, presented her with its Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award. In 2007, Mr. Read was honored by the Alabama Hospital Association as the recipient of the Healthcare Hero Award. More recently, he was recognized as a 2018 Star Alumni for the University of Mobile. The Alumni Stars program was created to honor graduates while inspiring current students on their future career paths.
MASON CITY, Iowa (KTTC) – MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center provides insight into what it’s like to be inside a COVID-19 intensive care unit. Hospital filmed inside her intensive care unit and spoke to frontline health workers.
“What’s demoralizing for us is that there are still quite a few people in the community who don’t think it’s real” Dr Doug Summerfield, said the intensive care unit at MercyOne. “Unfortunately for anyone on the street, you can’t see what’s going on in the hospital.”
COVID patients continue to fill hospitals across the country, and it is no different at MercyOne. As of Wednesday, there were 38 COVID patients in MercyOne North Iowa.
“We’ve become good at treating the people we can save, but we’ve lost about 200 patients,” Summerfield said. “I think our staff would like to tell the audience that this is real. Make your own decisions as to what to do about it, but that’s what’s happening.
The heavy workload and the full intensive care unit have an impact on the general care of the hospital, as the resources to take care of all the patients are lacking.
“An unexpected part of all of these COVID cases is that they consume resources from other procedures that need to be performed,” Dr Sam Congellosaid the cardiologist from MercyOne North Iowa. “Heart patients who need life-saving procedures should be postponed because there is no room to put them in intensive care or in hospital. “
Watch a behind-the-scenes video in the COVID Intensive Care Unit, here.
Medical tourism has long become a well-developed field, with hundreds of thousands of patients choosing treatment abroad each year. Medical tourists are usually patients of different age groups, who do not have the opportunity (or desire) to receive the appropriate therapy in their home country, and treatment abroad is the best choice for them.
For which patients do they go abroad?
Medical tourism is travel abroad for medical care. According to international studies, patients choose treatment abroad for specific reasons such as advanced high-tech procedures performed by qualified doctors, attentive and humane attitude, immediate medical care without a long waiting list or savings.
Medical tourism in Germany is one of the leaders globally. Germany ranks second in Europe after Switzerland in terms of funding for the medical industry. The funds are used for improving the technical equipment of hospitals and for research in the treatment of cancer and other medical fields.
There are also reasons why people travel to Germany specifically, such as the qualification of doctors, the quality of medical services and equipment, and advanced treatment techniques. The examination and treatment in German hospitals follows international protocols. Hospitals only use brand name medicines made specifically for European Union countries.
University hospitals have research centers, so medical innovations are quickly incorporated into treatment programs. For example, robotic surgeries are used to remove malignant tumors without damaging surrounding tissue, and nuclear therapy is used to treat brain neoplasms.
Innovative treatment techniques
Oncology is a rapidly developing branch of medicine. Approaches to the treatment of malignant tumors have undergone great changes over the past decade. Modern chemotherapies with minimal side effects, targeted therapy and various other drugs have appeared. Radiotherapy for oncology has become more targeted and surgical treatment is now minimally invasive and less traumatic.
Treatment of cancer with lutetium-177 is a promising radionuclide therapy option, as the drug is delivered directly to the affected tissue, creating a high concentration therein. Lutetium-177 has optimal characteristics which allow the destruction of localized malignant tumors and is particularly suitable for patients with metastatic cancer. Lutetium treatment does not harm healthy tissue.
Lutetium PSMA therapy is a treatment technique that has shown good results in patients with resistant prostate cancer. Clinical studies conducted in different countries confirm that treatment with lutetium-177 is effective, well tolerated and has a good safety profile.
In European countries, treatment with Lutetium-177 requires short-term hospitalization. During the hospitalization period (3-4 days), the patient undergoes the necessary examinations, including PET-CT, the PSMA study and general clinical studies, receives treatment and remains under observation for 1-2 days.
The price of lutetium therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer starts at 8,378 EUR. To compare the lutetium price-177 therapy in different health facilities, visit Booking Health website.
Does medical tourism work during lockdown?
It is best to start with a consultation, as a medical tourism specialist will help you understand where patients can get the treatment they need. These consultations are provided by Booking Health.
Booking Health provides patients with a full range of services, namely the preparation of all the documents necessary for the trip (plane tickets, visa, insurance, contracts, etc.), the organization of accommodation and the provision of an interpreter is available for the entire trip.
Booking Health has been ranked as the best medical tourism company, it has the ISO 9001: 2015 international quality control certificate in the relevant field. The company takes care of all questions related to the organization of your trip, including obtaining the visa and the entry authorization during a lockdown. If you want to know more about medical tourism in Germany, do not hesitate to visit the Booking Health website.
The Kaduna state government claims to have treated no less than 12,251 malnourished children between January and August 2021.
National nutrition officer Ramatu Musa revealed this to Zaria on Saturday at the end of a two-day third quarter review meeting with local government nutrition focal points.
Musa said that figure was out of 24,548 admitted to various community acute malnutrition management sites across the state.
She explained that of the 24,548 children, 16,358 were new admissions, while 8,190 were spillovers from untreated cases from 2020.
The official also said 46 children died of deficiency during the period, indicating a significant reduction from the 124 deaths recorded between January and September 2020.
She said to deal with the situation, the government has increased the number of local governments providing CMAM services from two in 2017 to 16 in 2021.
Musa added that the state currently has 82 primary health centers offering outpatient therapy programs to treat children with severe acute malnutrition with 17 secondary health facilities as stabilization centers.
Kaduna State Nutrition Emergency Action Plan project manager Umar Bambale said the government and partners are investing more in community feeding practices for infants and young children.
Bambale noted, “C-IYCF is a preventative approach that promotes adequate nutrition for children during the first 1,000 days of life. ”
He said that so far, a total of 558 health care providers and 1,156 community volunteers have been trained in C-IYCF services in 22 local government areas of the state, with only one outstanding area.
He also explained that through support groups, community volunteers would educate and enlighten mothers and caregivers on best C-IYCF practices for strong growth and healthy development in infants and young children.
The Coordinator of the Accelerating Nutrition Outcomes Project in Nigeria, Zainab Muhammad-Idris, explained that there has been a general improvement in the activities of the local government nutrition focal points.
Muhammad-Idris noted that there had been a significant improvement in the presentation of performance, challenges and issues that required advocacy, especially funding.
She said: “Malnutrition prevention activities in local governments are also resuming with many C-IYCF promotion activities implemented by nutrition focal people.
“This is quite encouraging, and we hope that with continued support, NFPs will do better and record more results in the fourth quarter.”
Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in Otero County, the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center has faced the complexity of treating patients infected with the virus.
The increase in COVID-19 cases in Otero County has led the management of the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center to restrict hospital visits, end inpatient elective surgeries, and close the cafeteria and bistro.
The situation is being assessed week by week, said Jim Heckert, CEO of Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center.
The restrictions adopted in response to the increase in the number of cases in the past two months are similar to those adopted in March 2020 when COVID-19 was first detected in New Mexico.
“One (n) prime factor is the low vaccination rate in the county,” Heckert said.
As of October 14, 50.3% of Otero County residents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Prior to August 2021, Champion Gerald Regional Medical Center averaged five to eight positive cases of COVID-19 per day. That average has doubled since early October, Heckert said.
“These are patients who require a longer stay and therefore fill your beds faster and that’s what puts the pressure on us to try to meet that need,” Heckert said.
The emergency room at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center can sometimes accommodate 100 patients per day. As of Oct. 14, the census from Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center showed the hospital had 65 staffed beds and 70 patients.
To manage additional patients, other areas of the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center, such as the Ambulatory Care Unit, are used to park patients until a regular bed is available.
“We have to use all kinds of different stuff, so to speak, to be able to handle this workload,” Heckert said.
As of October 14, the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center had 19 COVID-19 positive patients, which is more COVID-19 patients than the hospital has ever had, Heckert said.
COVID-19 cases and vaccination
Gerald CThe hampion regional medical center received mostly unvaccinated COVID-19 patients, Heckert said, although some cases of the virus were among those vaccinated, Heckert said.
“If you take a measurement the majority of admitted patients (for COVID-19) were not vaccinated and were younger,” Heckert said.
Now, cases of the virus are being reported in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, Gerald Regional Medical Center spokesperson Lillie Lewis said.
“We are seeing positive (COVID-19) children of all ages, but we haven’t had to admit these (child patients) to the hospital,” Lewis said.
“I still think it’s real and we’re big supporters of vaccination and we know, just in fact, that more of our patients (COVID-19) are not vaccinated,” Heckert said.
Nursing shortage
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center has experienced staff shortages, primarily in bedside nursing.
“We came back to the COVID-19 business this summer, at the end of the summer,” Heckert said. “We actually have more patients than we’ve ever had before… It puts stress on us and it’s not just us, it’s the whole region.”
The main stressor is the shortage of nurses, Heckert said.
Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center had a 10% staff nurse turnover rate before the COVID-19 pandemic. The current turnover rate is 40%, Heckert said.
The Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center has 160 staff nurse positions.
To help close the gap, Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center hired 32 temporary mobile nurses, Heckert said.
However, they are not permanent employees and are only at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center until full-time nurses can be hired, Heckert said.
“We would hire them all if we could meet our vacancy rate… it’s just because of the demand,” Heckert said. “We thought we would have less when COVID-19 first started. It appears to be a new and continuing problem for staff.”
Part of the problem is the burnout of medical staff, including mobile nurses, Heckert said.
Itinerant nurses are either “tired of traveling or tired of dealing with COVID-19.” So they’re either taking a break or they want to do something other than bedside nursing, ”Heckert said.
Heckert added that Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center is struggling to transfer patients to Las Cruces or El Paso, where hospitals are also struggling to provide services.
“Not necessarily full of COVID-19 (patients), just busy,” Heckert said.
COVID-19 by the numbers in Otero County
In March 2020 and that summer, COVID-19 cases in Otero County fell from minimal to moderate.
According to the New Mexico Department of Health, Otero County has gone from nine positive COVID-19 cases on May 12, 2020 to 238 positive COVID-19 cases on September 12, 2020.
Whereas Otero County had 3,900 positive COVID-19 cases on May 12, 2021 and 5,055 positive COVID-19 cases as of September 12, 2021, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
For that four-month period in 2020, Otero County added 229 positive COVID-19 cases compared to 1,155 positive cases for the same four-month period in 2021.
As of October 14, Otero County had 6,120 positive COVID-19 cases, 97 deaths attributed to COVID-19 and 5,075 reported COVID-19 recoveries, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center has scheduled community COVID-19 vaccination and booster clinics for October 18, 25 and November 1 at the Scenic View Surgery Center, 2669 Scenic Drive.
Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center will offer the third dose of Pfizer COVID-19 to those eligible to receive the booster. Appointments can be made at vaccinenm.org or by dialing 1-855-600-3453 and press 1. Seniors and people with disabilities can dial 1-800-432-2080.
Nicole Maxwell can be reached by email at [email protected], by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter.
of DANIEL JONES at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe THE VICTORIA FALLS, (ACJ News) – ZIMBABWE has suffered in recent years the ignominy of its dying elite in neighboring countries and abroad as its once thriving health sector collapses.
Now the government wants to see these roles reversed, attracting citizens of other countries to seek treatment in Zimbabwe.
The administration is committed to resuscitating the sector in its heyday at independence in order to attract patients from all over the world to seek treatment in the southern African country.
Zimbabwe aims to build on the latest advances in COVID-19 prevention and vaccination programs.
Despite its health sector in crisis after years of poor administration and governance, corruption and economic downturn, it has defied the odds and has been lauded for its response to the pandemic.
This resulted in people from neighboring countries traveling to Zimbabwe to be vaccinated.
Among these are citizens of South Africa, which has a relatively robust health sector and the country, alongside India, is the most popular estimate for medical tourism.
Victoria Falls, the resort town, was arguably the first city in Africa to achieve collective immunity. There are plans to build a medical center in the city to accommodate visiting tourists.
“What’s nice is we’ve hit 100% (immunity) here. Why not initiate health tourism here in Victoria Falls? Joked Vice President Costantino Chiwenga, who is also Minister of Health and Child Protection.
He was addressing his feelings to the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ).
Chiwenga said Zimbabwe has the potential to regain its former status as a net exporter of health services to the region.
“If we are rebuilding, we envision quality services in public sector facilities which should position Zimbabwe as a preferred destination for health services, which is inbound medical tourism,” Chiwenga said.
He recalled that Zimbabwe, at independence, had a flourishing and internationally recognized health services sector.
“You remember this country treated people from other countries,” he said.
The health sector is no more than a shadow of itself with thousands of medical workers leaving for greener pastures, the others almost always on strike and in need of medicine.
However, Chiwenga is optimistic.
“We still have excellent healthcare skills serving public and private institutions. Therefore, renovation and re-equipment must be accelerated as the panacea to resuscitate medical tourism, ”he said.
Chiwenga said the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa supports public-private partnerships.
Shylet Sanyanga, the director general of AHFOZ, called for the modernization of infrastructure and for the government to guarantee quality and affordable services.
“We were the loudest in lobbying that patients should not go elsewhere for treatment. We have good skills and can use them to prevent currency leakage, ”she said.
A significant number of Zimbabweans have traveled mainly to South Africa for medical treatment.
Politicians – sometimes at the expense of taxpayers – and wealthy citizens fly abroad.
Ironically, Chiwenga is among them.
Former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai died of colorectal cancer in a South African hospital in 2018.
Robert Mugabe, president between 1980 and 2017, died of advanced cancer at a Singapore facility in 2019.
It sounds like something out of a futuristic sci-fi movie, but having surgery via a robot is not uncommon. In fact, it’s now available right here in Lexington.
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Lexington Medical Center now has the Da Vinci Xi Surgical System, allowing the hospital to offer robot-assisted surgeries.
Want to know more about what’s going on in Lexington? Support local journalism, subscribe to The Dispatch.
The system allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery for complex procedures with greater precision and accuracy. The robot has four interactive robotic arms that hold long-stemmed instruments that are controlled by the surgeon on a separate console using a camera positioned above the patient.
“Some people are confused; it is again the surgeon who is able to manipulate the robot. It has a greater degree of articulation; it allows the surgeon greater flexibility and visualization. It’s similar to laparoscopic surgery with a single incision but with multiple instruments, ”said Russ Buchanan, nurse in charge of surgical services at Lexington Medical Center.
The first procedure at Lexington Medical Center was performed by general surgeon Dr. Claudiu Cimpean on September 20.
“As a surgeon, the Da Vinci Xi robot gives me greater flexibility and access to more areas of the body that are harder to reach,” said Dr. Cimpean. “Minimally invasive surgery has many benefits, including small incisions, which means less blood loss, less pain, less scarring, faster recovery and leaving the hospital sooner.
Robot-assisted surgery technology was originally created for gynecological and prostate procedures, but now the Da Vinci Xi is increasingly used in general surgery, such as hernia, vertebral, pelvic, urological, and abdominal procedures, including gall bladder and colon.
“It helps a lot compared to laparoscopy, because with laparoscopy you work mainly with chopsticks, while with DaVinci you have the endo-wrist technology that allows us to miniaturize our hands to the size of a fingernail. inside the body. It allows for complex maneuvers, but in small spaces, ”says urologist Alex Caillat.
About three in four prostate cancer surgeries in the United States today are performed using da Vinci surgery, according to the company’s website.
“We are excited to offer our community further advances in minimally invasive surgery,” said Bill James, president of Lexington Medical Center. “The Da Vinci Xi enables our surgeons to handle complex procedures with increased precision and accuracy. “
Buchanan said most surgeons are familiar with robotic surgery and have been fully trained on this particular system.
Representatives from Lexington Medical Center said using the DaVinci robot may shorten recovery time because it uses less intrusive procedures and allows patients to stay in the community.
“We are very lucky to have this new system and to be able to offer it to the community. We understand the need to develop our capabilities and extend our services to our patients. This allows our patients to get the care they need and stay here in Lexington, ”said Natalie Borders, Marketing Manager at Lexington Medical Center.
Lexington Medical Center officials unveil surgical facility
General information reporter Sharon Myers can be reached at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter @LexDispatchSM.
Reports of chaos and unrest have emerged at a newly built foreign worker dormitory in Jurong, with residents alleging poor living conditions and a lack of prompt access to medical help for Covid-19.
Photos and videos of workers at the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory expressing their frustrations with the way they are being treated have been uploaded to several online platforms since Tuesday.
Workers there said they did not have proper access to medical support and were not properly isolated.
About a quarter of the 2,000 workers staying in the dormitory have reportedly tested positive for Covid-19, workers told a WeChat-based information portal.
But Sembcorp Marine, which employs a large number of workers, and the operator of the Westlite Accommodation dormitory said yesterday the dormitory followed Covid-19 protocols.
The situation reached a tipping point on Wednesday, when residents gathered in droves to confront the management of the dormitory.
Riot police were called in the afternoon.
A resident who wanted to be known only as Mr. Ren, 41, told the Straits Times that residents were frustrated with the lack of medical assistance.
“(The dormitory management) doesn’t care about those who are sick – these men had been sick for about seven or eight days,” he said.
“Their fever had gotten really high and we had to make a noise about it before anything was done. “
He added that the situation worsened when residents confronted management. Although voices were raised, the workers did not resort to violence, he said.
Police were called around 1 p.m. and deployed at least four Special Operations Command vehicles.
Video showed workers screaming as riot police formed just outside the dormitory entrance.
ST understands that the dormitory residents are of different nationalities, but had banded together to express their frustrations.
Apart from the lack of timely medical support, they also claimed that their living conditions were poor and that they had been given food that contained worms or had gone bad.
Some workers had threatened to quit because of the way they were being treated. Mr. Ren said he has since quit and just wanted to go home.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Wednesday it was aware of allegations of breaches of health care protocols, lack of access to medical support and poor quality food in the dormitory.
Its preliminary investigations revealed delays in transferring workers who had contracted Covid-19 to the appropriate facilities.
“We are working to transfer those who need additional medical care to the appropriate health facilities for treatment,” said a spokesperson for MOM.
However, a spokesperson for Sembcorp Marine said its employees may not be fully aware of current protocols.
About 1,400 of the dormitory’s 3,420 beds are occupied by Sembcorp Marine workers, according to Westlite Accommodation.
“The company understands that Westlite is following Covid-19 mandatory health tests and movement protocols,” said the Sembcorp Marine spokesperson.
“The company is aware that current protocols in Singapore may not be apparent to residents of the Tukang dormitory and may differ from the Covid-19 management measures in their home country.”
Sembcorp Marine also reminded the caterer of strict compliance with hygiene standards, he added.
The company did not address issues raised by workers, such as why they were not isolated and taken to affected facilities immediately after testing positive, as is the protocol stated.
Westlite Accommodation said it had adhered to the Covid-19 protocols in effect at its dormitory in Jalan Tukang, but acknowledged delays in transferring affected workers to the appropriate facilities due to a recent spike in cases.
Westlite added that she was working closely with MOM to address the issue.
