Infectious-disease taskforce named, to start work next week
Minister of State (Health) Chee Hong Tat speaking to the media on Dec 11, 2015. Photo: Jason Quah
SINGAPORE — Less than a week after gaps in the national healthcare system’s ability to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks in hospitals and the community were flagged, the members of the taskforce set up to fix the problem have been identified, and they will get cracking in a few days’ time.
The seven-member taskforce’s expertise spans infectious diseases, systems engineering and data science, and include the Ministry of Health’s Second Permanent Secretary Ng Chee Khern, National University Hospital’s Assistant Director of Nursing Sharon Salmon, and Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s head of clinical epidemiology department, Adjunct Associate Professor Angela Chow.
They will be led by Minister of State (Health) Chee Hong Tat.
Speaking to reporters today (Dec 11), Mr Chee said the taskforce will look at best practices in other countries to find solutions to the gaps identified by the independent review committee, which studied the hepatitis C outbreak that happened at the Singapore General Hospital earlier this year.
Systems in the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong are among the possible places they will study for ideas, said Mr Chee.
“We will talk to our healthcare institutions and medical professionals, and get their feedback on what can we do to (improve) the system,” he added.
The hepatitis C outbreak in two wards of SGH affected 25 patients between April and August. Among them, eight have died, with seven of the deaths possibly linked to the virus infection. In the aftermath of the episode, more than 1,000 patients and healthcare workers who passed through the wards between January and September this year were called up for screening.
Mr Chee said the changes the taskforce could make include legislative requirements that will be binding on all healthcare institutions. However, he said, it is still too early to give specifics as the taskforce has just been formed. But Mr Chee added that although the taskforce had been given until the middle of next year to complete its work, they could implement measures earlier, where possible.
The independent review committee’s report released publicly on Tuesday found lapses in infection prevention and control practices at SGH that contributed to the outbreak. The hospital’s failure to recognise the outbreak was also flagged.
Responding to media queries, the chairman of SGH’s medical board, Professor Fong Kok Yong, said the hospital has taken further steps to “fortify” infection control measures, on top of measures implemented in early June, in the midst of the outbreak. This includes sending healthcare staff across the hospital for refresher training on infection control and safe injection practices, including hands-on training. Its infection control team and nursing leaders also conduct daily cross-audits on practices and environmental cleanliness.
Changes have also been made to the cleaning schedules, with the roles of nurses and environmental services staff being defined more clearly so that there is accountability. To reduce the risk of non-compliance to infection control practices, SGH has reviewed workflow and processes.
Giving an update on the conditions of the affected patients, Professor Yong reiterated that SGH will “take responsibility for patients in this cluster who require treatment for hepatitis C virus infection”. He did not disclose how many of these patients are still warded, but said some of them have “shown signs of spontaneous clearance of their infection”, while others continue to “show evidence” of hepatitis C infection but have normal liver function test or remain in stable condition.
