Speeches
SPEECH BY MR ONG YE KUNG, MINISTER FOR HEALTH, AT SINGAPORE THONG CHAI MEDICAL INSTITUTION 155TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS & THONG CHAI INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH 20TH ANNIVERSARY CHARITY DINNER, 18 SEPTEMBER 2022, 7.00PM
18 September 2022
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同济医院主席 杨应群 先生
筹委会主席 张克荣 先生
各位国会同僚
各位贵宾
1. 大家晚上好。
2. 非常荣幸能和在座的各位，共同欢庆同济医院155周年和同济医药研究院创立20周年。在此让我献上最诚挚的祝贺。
同济医院的背景和发展概况
3. 同济医院在1867年，由一群华社领袖带领而成立。院方 一直坚持最初的办院宗旨：“不分种族、宗教、国籍、一视同仁、施医赠药、弘扬中医”。
4. 所以多年来，同济医院为广大民众提供免费的中医药服务。为了照顾到更多的人，院方从2012年走入了社区。除了设立在振瑞路的总院，同济也分别在宏茂桥、盛港和勿洛设立社区诊所，为居住在邻里的病人带来了许多便利。
5. 2020年，武吉巴督社区诊所落成后，同济在新加坡五大区域都建立中医诊所， 迈向成为具有规模的免费慈善中医院。
6. 随着我国社会逐渐老龄化，国人对中医药的需求也不断增高。
7. 除了普通门诊，同济也有以中医药服务来管理特殊病种的特别门诊，包括生育、肿瘤、肾病、代谢、儿科和中风和痛症针灸组。
8. 这些服务穿插在各别社区诊所当中。例如：在人口相对年轻的盛港，同济就以 中医药管理生育和儿科疾病为特色。宏茂桥和勿洛是成熟区，有较多年长居民，同济 则着重于慢性疾病、老年病等。另外，武吉巴督诊所也为癌症病人提供辅助性的中医药服务。
9. 同济也 不断地提倡公共教育 – 不时举办健康讲座、采用面簿和院内海报、教育册子等，进行一系列常见病的宣传和教育，传达保健贴士，让国人从中改善生活习惯。
10. 同济医院多年的努力和热心公益，感动了民心，赢得了百姓的尊敬，成了家喻户晓的字号，是本地社区医疗体制重要的 一部分。让我们大家衷心感谢同济多年来的贡献，维护国民的健康！
中医管理委员会主席的交接
11. 大家也许已知道，符喜泉女士将在明年2月底卸下中医管理委员会主席一职。 我们非常感谢她对于中医药业的改进和发展做出了重大的贡献。符喜泉女士会把棒子传给张俰宾博士。卫生部会安排张博士以候任主席的身份先加入中医管委会，让张博士了解管委会的运作。
12. 卫生部将继续和中医管委会以及中医药界合作，积极推动中医药现代化和专业化的发展。
中医药的发展
13. 中医注重预防性和整体的治疗。许多中医学术都是世代相传的。西医则注重科研，以数据和研究结果 来认可医疗方法。各有各的历史长处 和可以改进的空间。
14. 比如冠病期间，大多数国民接种以西方科技所制造的疫苗。这反映了人们对科学和医疗制度的信心。但患上冠病时，很多人也服用 ‘莲花清温胶囊’来解除病状。在亚洲，大家对草药感到熟悉，所以对中医药的辅助功能，大家也保持这文化上的信心。
15. 我觉得，作为一个国际枢纽，中西方交接处的国家，新加坡要尽量地吸取中西医学里的精华。要做到这点，重点有几个：
16. 第一、提高医师们的临床技能和专业水准。这包括了继续改进本科教育和鼓励终生学习。去年，卫生部和 本地中医团体与机构合作，成立了两个工作小组，分别探讨中医临床培训计划和职业与薪酬指导原则。
17. 临床培训工作小组已初步为新注册中医师拟定了一套系统化的临床培训计划，由医师自愿申请参加。课程和评估的过程为期一年。这项培训计划将加强看诊能力，帮助他们能够成为可以独当一面、展开临床门诊的中医师。
18. 同济在这方面也不遗余力。他们拨出了相当大的款项，提供奖学金让45名南大学生受惠。
19. 第二、加强职业与薪酬的吸引力。这是我们另一个小组所针对的课题。
20. 职业与薪酬工作小组的目标是制定一套结构化的职业发展和薪资框架，让那些从事临床工作的中医师能够得到认可。框架有四个等级相应的专业职称，鼓励中医师 精益求精，不断提高专业水平。
21. 通过这些发展规划，我们希望能够吸引更多立志成为中医师的人士投身中医药行业。两个工作小组目前正在筹备详细的计划书，提呈给卫生部。卫生部将在确认细节后公布详情。
22. 第三、提倡中医药科研。这方面，同济获得卫生部颁发的“中医药科研基金”，资助五个科研项目。我希望同济医院能继续和公共医疗机构合作、参与中医药研究，为中医药的疗效和安全性建立坚实的科学依据基础。
23. 第四、一旦有了提升专业水平的制度，中医药业必须加强行业的管制。而卫生部也会探讨如何把高水平的中医师纳入国家的医疗管理制度，为‘健康SG’策略做出贡献。
24. 我觉得这是接下来几年需要做的事，希望大家一起努力。
25. 最后，我要感谢善心捐助同济的人士和企业团体。同济每天的就诊病人高达1300人，常年开销也超过1000万元。同济需要大家善心捐助来维持他们的营运开销。在过去的两年里，虽然面对疫情和经济衰退的考验，但同济仍然坚持初衷，继续施医赠药，所以请大家继续地帮忙。
26. 顺祝今晚的慈善晚宴圆满成功。祝在座各位身体健康，谢谢大家！
ENGLISH VERSION
Mr Yeo Eng Koon, Chairman of Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution
Mr Teo Kek Yeng, Chairman of Organising Committee
Fellow Parliamentary Colleagues
Distinguished guests
1. Good evening.
2. It is a great honour to celebrate the 155th anniversary of Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution (STCMI) and 20th anniversary of Thong Chai Institute of Medical Research with all of you. I would like to offer my heartiest congratulations.
Background and Development of STCMI
3. STCMI was established in 1867 under the leadership of a group of Chinese community leaders. It has always adhered to its founding principle to provide free medical consultation and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to the public regardless of race, religion or nationality.
4. For many years, STCMI has been providing free TCM services to the general public. In order to serve more people, Thong Chai set up clinics in the community since 2012. In addition to its headquarters along Chin Swee Road, Thong Chai also set up branch clinics in Ang Mo Kio, Sengkang and Bedok, bringing much convenience to patients in the neighbourhoods.
5. After the completion of the Bukit Batok branch clinic in 2020, Thong Chai realised its vision of becoming a large-scale charity TCM institution with clinics in five main regions of Singapore.
6.. With an ageing population, the demand for TCM will continue to grow.
7. In addition to general TCM services, Thong Chai also has “special clinics” which provide complementary TCM services for the management of certain disease conditions, including fertility, oncology, kidney, metabolism, paediatrics and acupuncture for stroke and pain management.
8. These special TCM services are available at selected branch clinics. For example, Thong Chai offers TCM for management of fertility and paediatric conditions to cater to the younger population at Sengkang, while for mature estates like Ang Mo Kio and Bedok with more elderly residents, Thong Chai would focus more on chronic and geriatric diseases. Separately, the Bukit Batok branch provides adjuvant TCM treatment for cancer patients.
9. Thong Chai also advocates public education. Through holding public talks, and the use of Facebook, educational posters and brochures, it raised the public’s awareness of common illnesses, and also provided health tips to help people lead healthier lifestyles.
10. Thong Chai’s efforts and passion for these charitable work over the years have touched the hearts and won the respect of many. It has become a household name and an integral part of the local community healthcare system. Let us all express our heartfelt gratitude to Thong Chai for their contributions and support in safeguarding the health of our people.
Handover of Chairman of TCM Practitioners Board
11. As you may now know, Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon will relinquish her post as Chairman of TCM Practitioners Board (TCMPB) at the end of February next year. We are grateful for her significant contributions to the improvement and development of the TCM sector. Mrs Yu-Foo will be handing over the role to Dr Teo Ho Pin. The Ministry of Health (MOH) will arrange for Dr Teo to join the Board as Chairman-designate to better understand the operations of the Board.
12. MOH will continue to work with TCMPB and the TCM sector, to actively advance the modernisation and professionalisation of TCM.
Development of TCM Sector
13. TCM focuses on preventive and holistic treatments. The majority of TCM knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next. Western medicine, on the other hand, focuses on scientific research, and uses data and research results to recognise and approve medical treatments. Each has their own history, strengths and room for improvement.
14. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, most Singaporeans received vaccines developed by latest technology. This reflects people’s confidence in the Science and the healthcare system. But for many who were infected with COVID-19, they would also take the Chinese herbal medicine Lianhua Qingwen capsules, to ease their symptoms. This shows that in Asia, people are generally familiar with herbs, and hence they have confidence in the complementary role of TCM in their recovery.
15. I feel that as an international hub and a country where the East meets the West, Singapore should try our best to incorporate the essence of both Chinese and Western medicine. To achieve this, there are several key points:
16. First, to raise the clinical competency and professional standards of TCM physicians. This includes continuing to improve undergraduate education and encouraging lifelong learning. Last year, MOH, in collaboration with local TCM groups and organisations, set up two workgroups to look into TCM Clinical Training Programme (CTP) and TCM Career and Remuneration Guidelines (CRG).
17. The CTP workgroup has preliminarily developed a systematic clinical training programme for newly registered TCM practitioners, which TCMPs may voluntarily apply for. The training programme is a one-year programme and it will be able to strengthen their clinical capabilities and help them become TCM practitioners confident of conducting clinical outpatient consultations independently.
18. Thong Chai has also put in a lot of effort in this area. Thong Chai has given out scholarships of a significant amount to 45 NTU students.
19. Second, to enhance the attractiveness of jobs and remuneration in the TCM sector. This is what the other workgroup is working on.
20. The CRG workgroup aims to provide a structured career progression and remuneration framework for the recognition of TCMPs in clinical practice. The workgroup recommended a four-level career progression and corresponding TCMP titles, to encourage them to strive for excellence and raise their professional standards.
21. Through these developments, we hope to attract more aspiring individuals to join the TCM sector, and to encourage continued development of the TCM community. Both workgroups are currently preparing to submit detailed proposals to MOH, and we will announce details when ready.
22. Third, to promote scientific research in TCM. In this aspect, Thong Chai had been awarded five projects under MOH’s TCM Research Grant. I hope that STCMI will continue to work with public healthcare institutions and participate in TCM research, so as to establish a strong scientific basis for the efficacy and safety of TCM.
23. Fourth, once there is a system in place to raise professional standards, the TCM sector must also step up on regulating the sector. MOH will also look into how to include highly competent TCM practitioners in the national healthcare management system, for them to contribute to Healthier SG.
24. I feel that these are things which need to be done in the next few years, and I hope that everyone will work together.
25. Finally, I would like to thank every person and organisation who have donated generously to Thong Chai. Thong Chai sees more than 1,300 patients daily, with annual expenses of more than $10 million. Thong Chai needs donations from all of you to maintain their operating expenses. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown in the past two years, Thong Chai has stood firm on its founding principles, and continued providing services to all in need. So please continue to extend your help to Thong Chai.
26. I wish tonight's charity dinner every success and everyone good health. Thank you!