Review of Prison Facilities and Procedures for Handling Inmates with Serious Health Conditions

Question:

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Singapore Prison Service will review its facilities and procedures to give public confidence of its ability to handle prisoners with serious health conditions who are prone to infections.

Answer:

Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs:

1. The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) has a healthcare delivery system that is aligned with national standards.

2. Inmates receive appropriate levels of primary medical care within the Prison Medical Complex.

3. In the case of inmates with complex medical conditions, medical experts may advise that there is a need for highly specialised treatment, which is not available in the Complex ,unless our prisons are to be outfitted to be exactly like public healthcare institutions (PHIs) and National Specialty Centres (NSCs), with the same type of medical expertise – which is not a sensible option.

4. In such cases, the inmate may receive his/her treatment at the PHIs and NSCs.