More non-airconditioned Class B1 wards

21 May 2007

Question No:  215  

Question

Name of the Person: Madam Cynthia Phua, MP for Aljunied GRC

To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will consider providing non-airconditioned Class B1 wards in public hospitals as many elderly patients are uncomfortable with airconditioning and there is a shortage of beds in Class B2 and C wards; and (b) what is the Ministry’s plan to solve the shortage of beds in Class B2 and C wards of our public hospitals.

Reply

Reply From MOH

I have just replied to Mdm Halimah on how we intend to meet the rising demand for subsidized beds and will not repeat it.

As for non-air-conditioned Class B1 wards, we do receive an occasional request but they do not appear to amount to a strong demand.  Our feedback is that many patients opt for B1 wards precisely for the air-conditioning comfort.  

As the request is generally caused by the shortage of Class B2 wards, we will focus on adding B2 beds as a more meaningful solution.