LESSONS ON BEDOK TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING EXERCISE

NOTICE PAPER NO. 986

NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 7 JULY 2026

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Pritam Singh

MP for Aljunied GRC

Question No. 2485

To ask the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health in relation to the mandatory tuberculosis screening exercise announced at three locations in Bedok on 30 April 2026, what lessons have been learned from this exercise for future reference, particularly in relation to its impact on the business prospects of high footfall locations such as hawker centres and markets.

Answer

1         Sir, from time to time, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) will need to conduct ground operations to contain disease outbreaks, such as the tuberculosis screening exercise that was carried out in Bedok recently.

2         A key success factor for such operations is clear communications with residents, notwithstanding that residents were largely very appreciative of the efforts to keep them safe. This is because in the absence of authoritative information, rumours will spread. Hence, in this case, the public would need to know exactly what to expect from the screening, the details and locations of the clusters, and be assured that the risk of TB transmission through casual visits or sharing a meal was low.

3         Further, measures will need to be taken to minimise disruptions to businesses and the community. Hence, eligible hawkers and tenants also received rental and service and conservancy charge rebates to mitigate the temporary impact on their businesses.

4         Finally, partnerships between CDA, community stakeholders and grassroots organisations are critical. This ensures that public health measures are coordinated with community engagement, and that any concerns are addressed promptly.