The following is a letter sent to us by a TOC reader.
First of all, I would like to wish you a speedy recovery from your most recent surgery. I certainly understand the difficulties of spending your days in the hospital. But I wrote to you on a very worrying matter. You see, I am 65 and I am a cancer patient. I have contracted Myloma since 2009, a rare blood cancer. Since election is around the corner, I would like to hear what you could do for cancer stricken patients like me.
I am old; please do not take the opportunity to get good PR through
answering this question. I just want you to answer, why cancer treatment and cancer drugs are not subsidized in government owned hospital?
Yours Sincerely,
Choi Lim Siew
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hmmm, is it because some cancers are a result of years, if not decades of living with health hazards? despite authority’s assurances that effects are accumulative, taking years to have a significant enough impact, that minute amounts are brushed off as insignificant?
when cancer developes, its too late to hold anyone accountable as all those years each & every time a health hazard/concern is raised, it watered down quickly.
who is to say the radiation (Fukushima Nuclear disaster) will not contribute to cancer years or decades down the road? Japanese govt’s advisory is a stark difference to USA’s, 20KM evacuation radius (Japanese’s) vs 80KM (American’s) initially.
all this goes to show that no one wants to be held accountable in the future when things go wrong. & in Japan’s nulcear disaster, gravely so.
I feel very sad our country has become so heartless. with these overpaid useless robots who are running the country. A team indeed! This $8 bill will come back to haunt this Buddhist.
If Singapore’s greatest resource is her people, then it stands to reason that Singaporeans should be given the best health care services without having the need to worry about affordability, particularly in the areas of cancers which are neither preventable or screenable.
Newer treatments are constantly on the horizon – new targeted drugs like Gefitinib and Erlotinib work better than conventional chemotherapy in lung cancer found predominantly in non-smokers; Intensity MOdulated Radiotherapy results in fewer side effects compared to older radiotherapy techniques; Boron Neuton Capture Therapy is as good, if not better, than standard treatment for brain tumours and head and neck cancers, but does so in a fraction of treatment time.
However, all these have a very high price tag, at least in the tens of thousands of dollars. The government should keep up to date with these latest devleopments and provide more subsidy to allow Singaporeans have the best treatment (both in terms of efficacy and toxicity) without the unnecessary worry of whether we can afford it. This would also free up doctors do what are trained (to save lives, with optimal treatment) instead of trying to counsel the optimal treatment based on what the patient can afford, while trying hard to not make patients feel guilty that they cannot have the best treatment in the world because of costs issues.
I think we have to take one small step at a time. First ask the goverhment to scrap GST on medical charges for cancer treatment.
I was suprised to find one reader above, had spent $20,000 GST in his cancer treatment plan.
GST is not meant for this, damn! GST is for luxury goods consumption. I am happy if GST can be waived for all medical procedures which relate to life threatening illnesses. HOW HEARTLESS IT IS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE MONEY FROM A DYING PERSON!!! Abolish GST immediately, Mr Khaw!! Have a heart, take a pay cut. You shouldnt make money from dying people.
zero
to sc: you said “all these have a very high price tag, at least in the tens of thousands of dollars”
That’s peanuts kachang putih money lah. If prata man can get %4,200,000 not including lifelong pension, this proves that the goverhment is really very very rich.
Time is appropriate to review GST for life threatening illnesses as GST is in headline news today. There must be some flexibility in implementation unlike things like polyclinic working hours – ever try to register within half an hour of any publicised closing times – you will be turned away whether you are old or sick – this can be tolerated thus far, but GST for life threatening illnesses ? Have a heart man, PLEASE!
Cancer no subsidy why? Because this pappy government operates this country like a business corporation… You are one of their factor of production… And if this factor of production is nearing it’s expiry since cancer illness most likely shortens its lifespan, it is of no use to them… Hence they found no economic reason to subsidize the high cancer bills to bring back the factor of production to economic value. They won’t tell you in the face this reasoning, in fact they don even bother to explain to public why cancer treatment not being subsidise.
Notice that the PM is saying sorry for not doing the infrastructural works to prepare for the huge deluge of foreign workers when it came like a five year long Tsunami. He is not saying sorry for opening the flood gates to let them in. What is the root cause of our problem is the flood of foreigners, not the lack of preparation for them.
The PM still does not want to give up his plan to transform and replace the people of this island with those who are more capable of work to increase the GNP and who in gratitude will vote for the party for another 50 years.
Dismiss his apology for what it is worth, another smoke screen to make big money for the PAP( through unmerited 2-4 million dollar salaries).
The author ask why.
The answer can only be one or more of the following:
1. The people Accept it, willingly
2. The people Accept it, out of self preservation.
In short, the people accept it.