Children with life-threatening conditions are attended to first, and those assessed to have less severe ailments may have to wait longer for their turn. Common ailments include symptoms such as fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, minor injuries and rashes, the statement added.
Speaking to CNA’s Singapore Tonight, KKH’s Emergency Medicine department head Associate Professor Sashikumar Ganapathy said that the partnership, which extends the hospitals’ reach, ensures that a child receives appropriate timely treatment while also getting an assessment on whether a trip to the children’s emergency is really necessary.
MANY DO NOT NEED EMERGENCY CARE
His hospital sees about 15,000 paediatric emergency cases every month on average while the number is at 3,800 for NUH, Assoc Prof Sashikumar noted.
“A large number of children who come to our children’s emergencies are found to have very common ailments that do not really require emergency care,” he said, adding that the programme is meant to ensure that a child who really needs such care can be attended to as soon as possible.
“Time is especially crucial for those who come to our children’s emergency with life-threatening conditions. If we are able to give them immediate treatment, it can actually save their lives.”
Assoc Prof Sashikumar, who is also a senior consultant, added that children with mild to moderate symptoms who go to the private doctors will experience a shorter waiting time and receive appropriate treatment and medication, which can help ease their discomfort even sooner.