POLYCLINICS will be
ready to function as Pandemic
Preparedness Clinics
(PPCs) to treat suspected Influenza
A (H1N1) patients by
next week.
The moment Singapore enters
the mitigation phase in its
battle against the virus, all 18
polyclinics will be activated as
PPCs.
While the exact date is uncertain,
the Ministry of Health’s director
of medical services, Professor
K. Satku, said that that
day will come when H1N1 patients
account for about 15 per
cent of all flu samples tested.
The proportion right now is
about “4 to 5 per cent”.
Already, the nine National
Healthcare Group polyclinics
have seen a 10-point surge in patients
with flu-like symptoms,
like cough and fever, an increase
of 1,000 patients over seven
weeks.
SingHealth, which operates
the other nine polyclinics, saw
an increase of 8 per cent in similar
patients the first three days
this week, compared to the
same period last week.
Patients with flu-like symptoms
will be ushered to a separate
area after nurses take their
temperatures and travel histories.
They will also be provided
with surgical masks.
Patients with mild symptoms
will be given appropriate medication
and sent home – just like
those with normal flu.
Only patients with complications
like pneumonia and
breathlessness, and high-risk patients
like pregnant women will
be sent to the hospital, said Dr
Lew Yii Jen, NHG Polyclinics
clinical director.
For polyclinic patients with
non-flu symptoms, the waiting
time might be longer, said Dr
Lew. Patients with chronic illnesses
will be given more supplies
of medication so that they
would not need to visit the clinic
so often, he added.
dawnt@sph.com.sg

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