Medical team stationed at Suntec Singapore can respond in two minutes
By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 November 2009 1852 hrs

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SINGAPORE: A medical centre and two medical posts have been set up within Suntec Singapore to take care of APEC delegates. And if needed, a team on standby can render help within two minutes.

So far, there have been no emergency cases.

Three doctors and six nurses are on duty everyday.

And since before the start of the APEC meetings last Saturday, the medical team has been seeing an average of 10 patients daily, mostly for minor illnesses such as flu, headaches and abdominal pains.

The team is also equipped to respond to major cases like heart attacks and any incident which may involve many casualties.

Suresh Pillai, head, APEC Medical Sub-Committee, said: "There will be an extra medical team that will be activated from all the hospitals. All hospitals will have a field medical team on standby to move, in the event of a mass casualty incident.

"So they have been prepped to be on standby and move out within five minutes in a mass casualty incident and they will response to whichever site the incident may be in."

On the potential threat of Influenza A H1N1, the team's response will be similar to any flu-like illness, but precautions are in place.

Mr Suresh added: "We have to make sure that we have the anti-viral drugs available and we also needed to ensure that we could do H1N1 testing at the medical centre itself. At this point of time, there is probably no need to do any of these things, since the situation is well controlled and stabilised."

Those who require follow up treatment in hospital, will be sent to the Singapore General Hospital or National University Hospital. VVIPs who need to be sent to the hospital will be escorted by police.

Media personnel too are well-taken of with a 24-hour medical centre within the media area. The media centre is also open around the clock, housing some 30 broadcast booths and 300 work stations. - CNA/vm