Ministerial statement: Janil Puthucheary on ICU and hospital capacity amid COVID-19
Singapore’s ICU and hospital capacity has come under strain with rising numbers of COVID-19 cases. Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary gave details of the take-up of ICU beds, over a month since the country entered the current Stabilisation Phase. He said ICU beds are being ramped up and supplemented, but this will have an impact on non-COVID-19 ICU care as well as regular hospital operations. It comes amid the physical and mental toll of the pandemic on healthcare staff, which has already led to a rise in resignation rates this year. Dr Puthucheary said Singapore is aiming to live with COVID-19, but without excess mortality, which is why it still cannot simply open up and risk a big surge in cases. He was delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament on Monday (Nov 1).
Singapore’s ICU and hospital capacity has come under strain with rising numbers of COVID-19 cases. Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary gave details of the take-up of ICU beds, over a month since the country entered the current Stabilisation Phase. He said ICU beds are being ramped up and supplemented, but this will have an impact on non-COVID-19 ICU care as well as regular hospital operations. It comes amid the physical and mental toll of the pandemic on healthcare staff, which has already led to a rise in resignation rates this year. Dr Puthucheary said Singapore is aiming to live with COVID-19, but without excess mortality, which is why it still cannot simply open up and risk a big surge in cases. He was delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament on Monday (Nov 1).