Forum: Set up cubicles for smokers so that the walk to TTSH is smoke-free
Forum: Set up cubicles for smokers so that the walk to TTSH is smoke-free
I often see many smokers gathering along Jalan Tan Tock Seng to smoke, as smoking is prohibited within the nearby Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).
This has created significant discomfort and inconvenience for visitors to the hospital, particularly those with respiratory conditions or sensitivities.
The smokers often congregate in groups on both sides of the road, making it nearly impossible for those passing by to avoid inhaling second-hand smoke. Even wearing an N95 mask offers little relief.
As a non-smoker and lung cancer survivor, I hope the relevant authorities will consider installing designated smoking cubicles that can contain and filter smoke.
This would protect public health while still providing a space for smokers, and help ensure that the walk to and from the hospital remains safe and pleasant for all visitors.
Lim Yeen Tee
More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Forum: Can therapy be part of treatment for schizophrenia?
I refer to The Straits Times' recent articles on mental health. One looked at how an executive turned to therapy to manage her anxiety (Singapore GPs step up to support those with mental health problems, May 26) , while another looked at how therapy helped a man overcome his agoraphobia without hospital treatment (Community care: How one man managed his agoraphobia without hospital treatment, May 26). I read those articles with hope, but also scepticism. My scepticism comes from doctors rejecting therapy as an option for my schizophrenic brother despite numerous requests. His doctors remain adamant that antipsychotic medication is enough. When I asked if any schizophrenic patients have been referred for therapy, my brother's case manager said that it is rare, and that relying almost solely on medication to treat schizophrenia is the norm at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH). When my brother is taking his medication and not exhibiting schizophrenic symptoms, he shows extreme anxiety, has low self-esteem, and fears leaving his house as he thinks the voices he hears when he relapses will command him to not go home. I believe he suffers from these additional anxiety-ridden symptoms because he experiences significant trauma before and after each schizophrenic relapse, which usually goes unaddressed. When my brother relapses, his psychosis can drive him to commit offences. This results in the police holding him until he can be moved to IMH to receive treatment. He has had to accept that employers may not hire him because of his illness. I agree with my brother's doctors that medication should remain a vital and primary part of my brother's treatment. But I also think schizophrenic persons could benefit from psychotherapy, and the kinds of coping strategies taught in those sessions. It was reported in the ST articles that therapy helped to improve patients' mental health. So why not for schizophrenic persons? Fawziah Selamat More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Brazil rules out bird flu case on a commercial farm in Rio Grande do Sul state
FILE PHOTO: Chickens sit at a poultry farm as Brazil's egg exports soar amid stronger U.S. demand, in Taquari, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, March 12, 2025. REUTERS/Diego Vara/File Photo Brazil rules out bird flu case on a commercial farm in Rio Grande do Sul state PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil - Test results for a suspected bird flu outbreak on a commercial farm in the town of Anta Gorda in Rio Grande do Sul state came back negative, according to an analysis of samples released by the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry on Monday. That was the only potential case currently under investigation on a commercial farm in Brazil, the world's largest chicken meat exporter. The results were negative for both bird flu and Newcastle disease, the document showed. Both these diseases may trigger trade bans. The first case of bird flu on a commercial farm in Brazil was also in Rio Grande do Sul state, on May 16. On May 22, Brazilian authorities declared a 28-day bird flu observation period following the full disinfection of the farm where the first outbreak was detected. In the days following the first case in Brazil, 1.7 million eggs were destroyed in Rio Grande do Sul, according to the state's department of agriculture. Teams that run the farm where bird flu was detected, buried waste that had first been incinerated to prevent the spread of the virus. The virus killed around 15,000 birds and the farm culled an additional 2,000. Brazil hopes that by the end of the observation period the country's chicken farms can be free of bird flu disease, provided no new cases are confirmed. Controlling the outbreak would allow Brazil to resume trade with partners that have suspended chicken imports from the country, such as China and the European Union, after the first and only outbreak was confirmed. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Forum: Make NurseFirst helpline more seamless by tapping primary care networks
I refer to the article, '995 calls for non-life-threatening cases to be referred to triage helpline from June 1 under new trial' (May 30). This is a bold step that will help reduce queues at emergency departments at restructured hospitals, thereby reducing wait times for more urgent cases. The programme can go a step further by working with primary care clinics to form a coordinated nationwide network. Many GP clinics operate late into the night, with some even staying open past midnight. By collaborating with existing GP and primary care networks, NurseFirst can help direct patients to appropriate clinics based on availability and proximity. It can be frustrating for patients if they are told by NurseFirst to seek help at GP clinics at say 10pm, and end up spending much time searching for clinics which are open at that time. These patients with non-life-threatening conditions might return to the emergency departments at hospitals, defeating the purpose of the helpline. For non-urgent cases, NurseFirst can also help arrange outpatient clinic appointments with polyclinics or GP clinics within a day or two. Dr Desmond Wai More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
