Claims under Govt’s haze subsidy scheme exceed 10,000

Today Online 17 Sep 13;

SINGAPORE — Over 10,000 claims have been made for the haze subsidy scheme introduced in June — when air quality plummeted. The scheme is aimed at helping Singaporeans cope with medical ailments resulting from the haze.

In a written reply to a parliamentary question from Dr Fatimah Lateef, Marine Parade GRC Member of Parliament, asking for an update on the scheme, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said, under the scheme, participating general practitioner (GP) clinics have seen around 8,200 attendances for haze-related conditions, with another 2,600 at the polyclinics.

Under the scheme, Singaporeans who are elderly, children or in the lower-income group pay S$10 to see a doctor from participating GP clinics or the polyclinics, for respiratory or eye conditions due to the haze.

The rest of the bill is subsidised by the Government.

Mr Gan also said the number of participating GP clinics has steadily increased, from 200 at the inception of the scheme to more than 650 clinics today.