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Serious Many Pappys don't like OngYK..not Team player.
- Thread starter SalahParking
- Start date
OYK took part in a panel discussion. 
The OECD Health High Level Policy Forum and Ministerial Meeting was held after a seven year break, and Singapore was invited to attend this time.
As Education Minister from 2015 to 2020, I have found OECD’s inputs very useful in shaping our education policy. They are data and evidence-based, with a strong emphasis on benchmarking against best practices around the world.
I took part in a panel discussion on genomics and genetic medicine, which was far more lively than I had expected. Suffice to say many countries recognise that these are exciting times for the healthcare sector. Done right, the potential to harness the rapid advancements in cell, tissue and gene therapy and AI for preventive care is immense. Done wrong, it widens disparity and undermines sustainability of the public healthcare system.
At the Health Ministerial Meeting, I called for stronger international collaboration to build global infrastructure to better support surveillance of emerging pathogens, and vaccine development.
I also met many of my counterparts, such as from the US, Costa Rica, Estonia, Iceland and Saudi Arabia. Estonia explained to me how their impressive electronic health system works. With Costa Rica, we had a delightful exchange of views on Blue Zones.
On my way back to Singapore now. Good bye croissants and hello kaya toast.
Ong Ye Kung
2 d ·The OECD Health High Level Policy Forum and Ministerial Meeting was held after a seven year break, and Singapore was invited to attend this time.
As Education Minister from 2015 to 2020, I have found OECD’s inputs very useful in shaping our education policy. They are data and evidence-based, with a strong emphasis on benchmarking against best practices around the world.
I took part in a panel discussion on genomics and genetic medicine, which was far more lively than I had expected. Suffice to say many countries recognise that these are exciting times for the healthcare sector. Done right, the potential to harness the rapid advancements in cell, tissue and gene therapy and AI for preventive care is immense. Done wrong, it widens disparity and undermines sustainability of the public healthcare system.
At the Health Ministerial Meeting, I called for stronger international collaboration to build global infrastructure to better support surveillance of emerging pathogens, and vaccine development.
I also met many of my counterparts, such as from the US, Costa Rica, Estonia, Iceland and Saudi Arabia. Estonia explained to me how their impressive electronic health system works. With Costa Rica, we had a delightful exchange of views on Blue Zones.
On my way back to Singapore now. Good bye croissants and hello kaya toast.
OYK is very aware. 
The momentum of our #HealthierSG rollout continues to be encouraging. To date, 700,000 Singaporeans aged 40 and above have signed up.
Many have found the Health Plan consultation, fully subsidised nationally recommended screenings and vaccination useful. One regular complaint from residents who enrolled with GPs has been that chronic medication was much more costly than if they had gone to polyclinics.
We are very aware of that. We wanted Healthier SG GP clinics to dispense chronic medication at subsidised prices, but this took some time for us to prepare and implement.
Ministry of Health, Singapore has just announced that the Healthier SG Chronic Tier will be rolled out from 1 Feb 2024. It will address a key pain point in Healthier SG implementation. This is done through CHAS, Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation card mechanisms. So we need one of these cards to get further chronic medication subsidies at GP clinics.
More details here - www.healthiersg.gov.sg
(Photo by Raffles Medical Group)
Ong Ye Kung
1 d ·The momentum of our #HealthierSG rollout continues to be encouraging. To date, 700,000 Singaporeans aged 40 and above have signed up.
Many have found the Health Plan consultation, fully subsidised nationally recommended screenings and vaccination useful. One regular complaint from residents who enrolled with GPs has been that chronic medication was much more costly than if they had gone to polyclinics.
We are very aware of that. We wanted Healthier SG GP clinics to dispense chronic medication at subsidised prices, but this took some time for us to prepare and implement.
Ministry of Health, Singapore has just announced that the Healthier SG Chronic Tier will be rolled out from 1 Feb 2024. It will address a key pain point in Healthier SG implementation. This is done through CHAS, Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation card mechanisms. So we need one of these cards to get further chronic medication subsidies at GP clinics.
More details here - www.healthiersg.gov.sg
(Photo by Raffles Medical Group)
OYK asks for blood donation.
Our Group O blood stocks are currently at critical levels. If you have O blood, please come forward to donate and save lives.
#GiveBloodSaveLives
Ong Ye Kung
3 d ·
#GiveBloodSaveLives
OYK joins in the celebrations. 
Pongal and Chinese New Year festive celebrations at Sembawang.
#makesembawangspecial #OKwithOYK
Ong Ye Kung
2 d ·Pongal and Chinese New Year festive celebrations at Sembawang.
#makesembawangspecial #OKwithOYK
OYK meets Mdm Wong. 
Meet Mdm Wong. She is retired and lives in Sembawang. After learning that her frail neighbour's caregiver was hospitalised, she helped out by cooking and delivering meals to her neighbour.
It is through our neighbourhood weekly senior activities that Mdm Wong met her neighbour and his caregiver and got to know them.
We can do more to connect seniors to the community and reinforce mutual help and support. This is a very critical part of coping with an ageing society.
#MakeSembawangSpecial #OKwithOYK
Ong Ye Kung
1 d ·Meet Mdm Wong. She is retired and lives in Sembawang. After learning that her frail neighbour's caregiver was hospitalised, she helped out by cooking and delivering meals to her neighbour.
It is through our neighbourhood weekly senior activities that Mdm Wong met her neighbour and his caregiver and got to know them.
We can do more to connect seniors to the community and reinforce mutual help and support. This is a very critical part of coping with an ageing society.
#MakeSembawangSpecial #OKwithOYK
OYK thanks donors. 
My sincerest thanks to the 5,300 donors who responded to our appeal for Group O blood last week. They included the young and old, men and women, Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans, civil servants, professionals, business owners, artists and many more. It was a broad and encouraging response.
As a result, there has been a 230% improvement in our O+ blood stock, or about 17 days' worth compared to below six days before Ministry of Health, Singapore's appeal for your help.
That said, we have to maintain this momentum. Blood donations typically fall by 20% during festive periods. With Chinese New Year approaching, there is a risk that our blood stock will drop again next week.
Special thanks to the Health Sciences Authority and Singapore Red Cross staff for all their efforts behind the scenes. Together, we are a community of life savers.
Ong Ye Kung
8 h ·My sincerest thanks to the 5,300 donors who responded to our appeal for Group O blood last week. They included the young and old, men and women, Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans, civil servants, professionals, business owners, artists and many more. It was a broad and encouraging response.
As a result, there has been a 230% improvement in our O+ blood stock, or about 17 days' worth compared to below six days before Ministry of Health, Singapore's appeal for your help.
That said, we have to maintain this momentum. Blood donations typically fall by 20% during festive periods. With Chinese New Year approaching, there is a risk that our blood stock will drop again next week.
Special thanks to the Health Sciences Authority and Singapore Red Cross staff for all their efforts behind the scenes. Together, we are a community of life savers.
OYK asked NEA if the fishes are edible. 
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has just advised residents against swimming in the waters off Sembawang Park Beach due to the waters’ elevated levels of Enterococcus bacteria.
That means if a swimmer takes in the sea water, he or she can get a gastrointestinal infection (common symptoms: diarrhea, vomit, stomach pain).
I checked further with NEA. Activities on the beach, such as picnics which many residents enjoy, can continue. Just avoid swimming.
Likewise, all activities in Sembawang
Park - jogging, brisk walking, dog running, BBQing - can carry on.
Since many people go fishing at the beach, I also asked NEA if the fishes are edible. Enterococcus can be destroyed by thorough cooking of the fish. So please adopt good food safety practices and no sashimi using fishes caught off Sembawang beach please!
NEA is working with agencies such as PUB and NParks to investigate the cause of the elevated bacteria level, and hopefully can find ways to mitigate the situation. They will
update the public on the progress of their work.
Ong Ye Kung
22 h ·The National Environment Agency (NEA) has just advised residents against swimming in the waters off Sembawang Park Beach due to the waters’ elevated levels of Enterococcus bacteria.
That means if a swimmer takes in the sea water, he or she can get a gastrointestinal infection (common symptoms: diarrhea, vomit, stomach pain).
I checked further with NEA. Activities on the beach, such as picnics which many residents enjoy, can continue. Just avoid swimming.
Likewise, all activities in Sembawang
Park - jogging, brisk walking, dog running, BBQing - can carry on.
Since many people go fishing at the beach, I also asked NEA if the fishes are edible. Enterococcus can be destroyed by thorough cooking of the fish. So please adopt good food safety practices and no sashimi using fishes caught off Sembawang beach please!
NEA is working with agencies such as PUB and NParks to investigate the cause of the elevated bacteria level, and hopefully can find ways to mitigate the situation. They will
update the public on the progress of their work.
OYK had a busy weekend. 
Had a busy weekend, distributing oranges and sending well wishes with Dr Lim Wee Kiak at Bukit Canberra hawker centre. The dragon soft toys given by the hawker centre operator were such a hit. Did some calligraphy but very out of practice. Nevertheless, every stroke a wish for prosperity!
My sincerest thanks to the local entrepreneurs and donors who helped put together the annual Sembawang Central CNY lunch and Hong Bao Presentation for seniors. It was a very heart warming gathering.
#MakeSembawangSpecial #OKwithOYK
Ong Ye Kung
1 d ·Had a busy weekend, distributing oranges and sending well wishes with Dr Lim Wee Kiak at Bukit Canberra hawker centre. The dragon soft toys given by the hawker centre operator were such a hit. Did some calligraphy but very out of practice. Nevertheless, every stroke a wish for prosperity!
My sincerest thanks to the local entrepreneurs and donors who helped put together the annual Sembawang Central CNY lunch and Hong Bao Presentation for seniors. It was a very heart warming gathering.
#MakeSembawangSpecial #OKwithOYK
OYK visited TTSH.
Visited Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) this morning, to thank our healthcare workers for their commitment and dedication, and to wish patients a swift recovery.
I wish all my friends a happy and healthy year ahead!
Ong Ye Kung
2 h ·Visited Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) this morning, to thank our healthcare workers for their commitment and dedication, and to wish patients a swift recovery.
I wish all my friends a happy and healthy year ahead!
OYK gave a different kind of red packet. 
Gave a different kind of red packet today - 2x200ml of O+ pure red cells. I have not donated blood for many years because I studied in the UK in the late 80’s and early 90’s, which means I am at risk of being exposed to the Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD).
The restrictions have since been lifted. People in my situation can now donate by apheresis at the Bloodbank@HSA. Apheresis is a process to separate our blood through a machine, to extract either the red cells, the platelets or plasma. In my case, it extracted my O+ red cells because it was most valuable to our Bloodbank, and the buffy coat (platelets & white cells) and plasma was returned back into my body.
The entire process should take around 60 to 90 minutes, depending on what is being extracted from your blood.
Do note that if you may see an error message after answering Question 2.1.d of the online Health Assessment Questionnaire. HSA is aware of the issue and is fixing it.
Ong Ye Kung
3 h ·Gave a different kind of red packet today - 2x200ml of O+ pure red cells. I have not donated blood for many years because I studied in the UK in the late 80’s and early 90’s, which means I am at risk of being exposed to the Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD).
The restrictions have since been lifted. People in my situation can now donate by apheresis at the Bloodbank@HSA. Apheresis is a process to separate our blood through a machine, to extract either the red cells, the platelets or plasma. In my case, it extracted my O+ red cells because it was most valuable to our Bloodbank, and the buffy coat (platelets & white cells) and plasma was returned back into my body.
The entire process should take around 60 to 90 minutes, depending on what is being extracted from your blood.
Do note that if you may see an error message after answering Question 2.1.d of the online Health Assessment Questionnaire. HSA is aware of the issue and is fixing it.
OYK wants to brush up on his dental health. 
It's time to brush up on our dental health!
Ong Ye Kung
8 h ·
OYK is very happy to announce ANGEL, the long-term retention scheme for nurses.
Very happy to announce ANGEL, the long-term retention scheme for nurses.
Thank you to National University Hospital - NUH, for letting me hijack their monthly nurses’ forum to announce this. I had wanted to do so before Chap Goh Mei. It was meant to be a surprise segment, but I think the nurses knew I was coming and what to expect.
I am especially glad that they greeted the announcement with loud cheers and applause.
$100,000 to be paid out over a period of 20 years' service; $20,000 to $30,000 every four to six years. For those with many years under their belt (or PPE), they will get an immediate payout, and put on a three-yearly accelerated payout path.
A little trivia: at Ministry of Health, Singapore, we liked the name ANGEL so much, we asked ChatGPT how do we make it the name of a nurses retention scheme. It came up with a few suggestions, and with some tweaks, we got Award for Nurses’ Grace, Excellence and Loyalty!
Ong Ye Kung
1 h ·Very happy to announce ANGEL, the long-term retention scheme for nurses.
Thank you to National University Hospital - NUH, for letting me hijack their monthly nurses’ forum to announce this. I had wanted to do so before Chap Goh Mei. It was meant to be a surprise segment, but I think the nurses knew I was coming and what to expect.
I am especially glad that they greeted the announcement with loud cheers and applause.
$100,000 to be paid out over a period of 20 years' service; $20,000 to $30,000 every four to six years. For those with many years under their belt (or PPE), they will get an immediate payout, and put on a three-yearly accelerated payout path.
A little trivia: at Ministry of Health, Singapore, we liked the name ANGEL so much, we asked ChatGPT how do we make it the name of a nurses retention scheme. It came up with a few suggestions, and with some tweaks, we got Award for Nurses’ Grace, Excellence and Loyalty!
OYK visited Sembawang God of Fortune temple over the weekend. 
Visited Sembawang God of Fortune temple over the weekend and glad to have met many residents. Did you know the God of Fortune statue at temple is the largest in the world? It stands 9.44m on its roof. #makeSembawangspecial
Ong Ye Kung
1 d ·Visited Sembawang God of Fortune temple over the weekend and glad to have met many residents. Did you know the God of Fortune statue at temple is the largest in the world? It stands 9.44m on its roof. #makeSembawangspecial
Sinkies in healthcare have a lot more to say about Dr Tan See Leng.
OYK thanks the SCDF.
This afternoon, there was a fire at 131C Canberra Crescent. Based on media reports, there was one death, and one injury who has been sent to the hospital.
As of now, the assessment is that the fire did not affect neighbouring units. The cause of the incident is still under investigations.
We thank the SCDF for responding promptly and putting out the fire as quickly as possible. HDB, the Town Council and community organizations will be visiting the neighbouring units, and are ready to assist those who need help.
Ong Ye Kung
4 h ·This afternoon, there was a fire at 131C Canberra Crescent. Based on media reports, there was one death, and one injury who has been sent to the hospital.
As of now, the assessment is that the fire did not affect neighbouring units. The cause of the incident is still under investigations.
We thank the SCDF for responding promptly and putting out the fire as quickly as possible. HDB, the Town Council and community organizations will be visiting the neighbouring units, and are ready to assist those who need help.
