SUPPORTING OPERATIONS AT MIGRANT WORKER DORMITORIES
In April 2020, when COVID-19 cases surged among migrant workers residing in dormitories, the Government initiated a Whole-of-Nation response to manage the outbreak. NHG was asked to provide medical support and operations for more than 50,000 workers living in 14 purpose-built dormitories (PBDs). GCD, together with Institutions, worked with multi-agency partners to set up medical posts in the PBDs. Despite the scale, complexity, and urgency of the crisis, NHG rose to the challenge — the first medical post was operational within three days, and all 14 sites were seeing patients within a week.
On the ground, GCD and National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP) also organised and led the mobile mass swabbing operations in the community. Teams were deployed island-wide to conduct swabbing for at-risk and vulnerable individuals, including migrant workers.
MOUNTING CLUSTER-WIDE VACCINATION EFFORTS
Singapore received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020, and started its national vaccination programme in the same month. Some 40 staff from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) were among the first to receive their jabs.
GCD worked with Institutions to coordinate staff vaccination efforts across the cluster. NHG’s vaccination exercise commenced in January 2021, with Senior Management taking the lead.