Tan Wu Meng on Singapore’s COVID-19 response
From the “crisis of a generation”, we need to learn the “lessons of a generation” because the next pandemic may be “Disease X”, which is more severe, more contagious and less forgiving, said MP Tan Wu Meng. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Mar 20), he said the fight against the pandemic starts in the preparation 10 years or 20 years ahead. He stressed the need to strengthen national capabilities ahead of time across multiple sectors. One key lifeline is supply chains, he said. Whether it is face masks, surgical gloves, personal protective equipment or medications, these are the battle arms and ammunition for healthcare frontliners. He wanted to know what Singapore is doing to strengthen its supply chains internationally, not just the superficial layer of suppliers, but also the dependencies who supply the suppliers. He also asked for an update on strategies to strengthen Singapore’s vaccine and scientific capabilities. Dr Tan stressed the need to continue “exercising our imagination” to see what challenges may come, so that in a dangerous world for small countries, “nothing and no one will ever knock Singapore down”.
From the “crisis of a generation”, we need to learn the “lessons of a generation” because the next pandemic may be “Disease X”, which is more severe, more contagious and less forgiving, said MP Tan Wu Meng. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Mar 20), he said the fight against the pandemic starts in the preparation 10 years or 20 years ahead. He stressed the need to strengthen national capabilities ahead of time across multiple sectors. One key lifeline is supply chains, he said. Whether it is face masks, surgical gloves, personal protective equipment or medications, these are the battle arms and ammunition for healthcare frontliners. He wanted to know what Singapore is doing to strengthen its supply chains internationally, not just the superficial layer of suppliers, but also the dependencies who supply the suppliers. He also asked for an update on strategies to strengthen Singapore’s vaccine and scientific capabilities. Dr Tan stressed the need to continue “exercising our imagination” to see what challenges may come, so that in a dangerous world for small countries, “nothing and no one will ever knock Singapore down”.
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