SARS Community Talks

Changi General Hospital conducted a series of health talks on SARS to the community to do its part for SARS awareness. On 18 May 2003, Dr Ranjit Magherra, Consultant, ENT Division gave a talk on preventive measures against SARS at the Tampines East Zone RC.

After Singapore was taken off the WHO list, Multiphasic Health Screening Physicians, Dr Khoo Chooi Yong and Dr Janncy Wong, along with ENT Associate Consultant, Dr Eng Soh Ping, also conducted two talks on 5 and 6 June 2003.

The first of the two talks was conducted at the Changi Simei Community Club on 5 June 2003.The talk was part of a dialogue session with Mr Lee Yock Suan, Minister, Prime Minister's Office and MP for East Coast GRC, that was organised by the ChangiSimei CC in an effort to better put their message across, Or Eng Soh Ping conducted his talk in Mandarin and was assisted by Or Khoo Chooi Yong who helped translate the talk in Hokkien.This was very much appreciated by about 300 Senior Citizens Club members and grassroots leaders who made up the core audience as they sat in rapt attention throughout the talk.

he aim of the talks by our doctors was to better educate and clear any misconceptions that the community had about SARS and there were ample opportunities for the residents to raise their concerns on SARS during the Question and Answer session that followed the talk. Not surprisingly, the questions flowed freely during the 30-minute session that was conducted in English, Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew and other dialects.

The second talk was conducted on 6 June 2003 at the Tampines PalmSpring Residents' Committee. Although this talk was originally slated to be in English, Dr Janncy Wong decided that she could better put her message across to the audience made up mostly of senior citizens if she sprinkled some Mandarin, Hokkien and Hakka into her presentation. Her gesture was much appreciated by the residents who gave Dr Wong a rapturous round of applause after her presentation.

Mr Yatiman Yusof, Chairman of Tampines Town Council thanked the doctors and presented them with tokens of appreciation. He also invited them to sample some home-cooked'mee siam' and 'curry puff'that was specially prepared by the residents and RC members.

The questions that were raised during both sessions varied from the state of the economy during the SARS crisis to the clinical differences between dengue fever and SARS. Although not all the questions were medically related to SARS, they were all SARS-related questions that were reassuringly answered by the MPs and our doctors.

"This is my first time conducting a community talk and I really felt the warmth and hospitality of the senior citizens club members and MP MrYatiman Yusof," said Dr Khoo Chooi Yong, Multiphasic Health Screening Physician.

The warm welcome and reception that greeted our doctors on both days was proof that the fear of healthcare workers that existed when SARS was first discovered in Singapore has all but been replaced by understanding and gratitude.