Polyclinics to set up special stations to treat H1N1 flu cases

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Polyclinics to set up special stations to treat H1N1 flu cases

By 938LIVE/Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 25 June 2009 1507 hrs

A medical staff checks the temperature of a woman entering the Tan Tock Seng hospital

SINGAPORE: Polyclinics are gearing up to cope with suspected H1N1 flu cases once Singapore enters the mitigation phase.

This involves the setting up of special outdoor stations where patients with fever or flu symptoms will be treated.

However, high-risk patients will not be treated at the polyclinics. Instead, they will be isolated before being sent over to a hospital. High-risk patients include pregnant women and children under two years old.

The National Healthcare Group says it aims to set up these stations by the end of this week.

It also says the polyclinics in Hougang and Woodlands do not need the stations as they are large enough to handle the new influx of patients.

Another aim for the measure is to provide these patients with a shorter turnaround time. They are targeting for patients to receive treatment within 45 minutes upon registration.

The National Healthcare Group says residents in the vicinity need not worry about catching the flu bug from the polyclinics.

Dr Meena Sundram, head of Jurong Polyclinic, said: "There's no reason to worry.....if you see the layout of the clinic....how we've planned, we actually screen all the patients. It's probably safer than going to a shopping centre, because if you go to a shopping centre....to buy something, you probably don't know if there are patients with fever lurking around."

Still, the Jurong Polyclinic urges the public to remain vigilant and practise good hygiene.

- 938LIVE/CNA/yt/ir

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.