By late February 2020, when it was clear a pandemic was looming in the near horizon, Raffles Medical Group provided pandemic support and consultancy to our 6,000 clients so that they could continue with their business operations with the least disruptions possible, and adequate protection for their employees.

We summed up the 2020 year activities as our way of welcoming a better and brighter new year. Here’s a recap of major milestones and activities.

↑ RMG healthcare workers geared in full PPE at the CCF / CRF site of Changi Exhibition Centre.

A Rude Awakening As abruptly as the virus had first descended onto Singapore and disrupted the Lunar New Year celebrations in late January 2020, the team at Raffles had very deftly responded and deployed healthcare workers to set up and man screening stations at Changi and Seletar airports to screen inbound and outbound travellers and ensure that the virus was kept out of Singapore.

Said Dr Chng Shih Kiat, Medical Director of Raffles Medical, “Although there were a lot of unknowns about the virus at that point and how the situation might evolve, as medical professionals who have been through the SARS saga, we knew we were up against something really malicious and it was absolutely critical that we responded quickly.

Instantly, we worked with the authorities to do our utmost to identify cases in the community through screening stations at the air borders and segregated them before the spread escalated.

We have been an integral contributor to Singapore’s fight against COVID-19 because we have applied what we have learnt from the SARS experience and through the years, have ensured our people are trained and guarded even during pre-pandemic times.”

In early February when Wuhan city in China was identified as the epicenter of the pandemic, we deployed a healthcare team who braved all uncertainties to assist with the evacuation of over 260 Singaporeans who returned home safely on a chartered flight.

By late February, when it was clear a pandemic was looming in the near horizon, we provided pandemic support and consultancy to our 6,000 clients so that they could continue with their business operations with the least disruptions possible, and adequate protection for their employees. In March, as community cases started to increase exponentially in Singapore, Raffles Hospital dedicated more resources to take in more Emergency Care Collaboration (ECC)* patients who were suffering from acute or emergency conditions, so as to ease the patient load on our public hospitals.

*Since 2015, RMG has been appointed by MOH through the ECC initiative as the only private hospital in Singapore to take in emergency cases from SCDF ambulances.

To Our Patients, Our Best

We deployed teams of doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants to support the swabbing and caring of residents at foreign worker dormitories at the height of the pandemic. When resources were scarce, our dentists, dental nurses and assistants volunteered to be trained to support the healthcare needs of these residents. Over a period of four months, RMG had performed over 40,000 swab tests for these residents.

To ensure the public is well cared for, Ministry of Health (MOH) also appointed 11 of Raffles Medical (RM) clinics as part of Singapore’s Public Health Preparedness Clinic (PHPC) network. This means Singaporeans diagnosed with respiratory infections were provided with government subsidised treatment and medications during the pandemic. These clinics could also provide Swab and Send Home (SASH) services for suspected COVID-19 cases. By the end of the year, MOH had expanded this offering to 36 RM clinics island-wide.

Providers of Essential Lockdown Support

As community cases sustained, Singapore went into lockdown in April. Community Care and Recovery Facilities (CCF & CRF) at various locations all over Singapore were set up to manage the stark increase in cases for residents at the foreign workers’ dormitories. RMG answered the call as the designated healthcare provider for the CCF and CRF at Changi Exhibition Centre and Marina Bay Cruise Centre as pointed by MOH, where we deployed both healthcare personnel as well as technology to see to the needs of the residents in a safe and efficient manner. To prevent cross-infection, residents sought healthcare advice from RMG doctors through teleconsultation. This service later extended to cover the CCF and CRF at the Singapore EXPO and MAX Atria. RMG also deployed two doctors and 20 nurses to provide triaging and teleconsultation services to residents of the Changi East Terminal 5 Dormitory.

Standing-by to Restart Singapore

As the Circuit Breaker neared its end in June, Singapore had by then allowed for limited essential travelling. To facilitate these travels that were essential for gradual economic recovery, five of RM clinics were the first in Singapore to be appointed by MOH to provide pre-departure testing for essential business travellers. The service included repatriation screening and fit-to-fly certification services.

We also set up new screening stations at Singapore’s five airport terminals for passengers coming into Singapore on special business travel lanes. Corporate clients that could resume businesses also received Routine Rostered Testing PCR tests from RM to get the all-clear for their workers to commence work while we continued to guide them in infection control and business continuity measures for their employees.

As Singapore prepared to re-start travel and reopen borders, it became essential for approved travellers to have enhanced access to swab tests. RMG became Singapore’s first to launch a seamless app-based booking where appointment, payment and receipt of COVID-19 PCR tests are all on one platform via Raffles Connect.

By late October, hopes of restricted public events started to make the news. RMG was proud to have supported the very first large-scale event since the Circuit Breaker with the international live sporting event gathering for a Mixed Martial Arts match. Before 250 excited spectators could attend the match, swabs were conducted as a safety measure to avoid infection spread.

Then, travel-starved Singaporeans were elated to hear news of the first Cruise-to-nowhere that set sail in early November. RMG was instrumental in bringing these travel dreams to fruition by providing pre-departure and arrival tests at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre for passengers.

Mr Yong Yih Ming, General Manager of Raffles Medical, who has led various key operations since the beginning of the pandemic to the recent projects gearing at the re-opening of the economy, said, “Team Raffles stepped up and participated in all phases of Singapore’s fight against COVID-19. When we needed to monitor and prevent importation of the virus COVID-19 through our air borders, we did the surveillance. When we needed to support national evacuation initiatives at Wuhan, we flew there. When our migrant workers and their dormitories needed testing and medical care, our team worked tirelessly round-the-clock to cover grounds. When pilot projects like Cruise-to-nowhere and some MICE events had to be tested to re-open the economy, we ensured their successes. When our corporate clients needed business continuity planning, we stepped in. While it was challenging for healthcare professionals, Raffles rose to all challenges and made every effort count in the fight. With our acquired experiences in 2020, we are definitely well-positioned as strategic partners to fight this COVID-19 war alongside Singapore and support its gradual re-opening in the next phases.”

A Suitable End to a New Start 

By the year’s end, we counted 2,000 RMG employees in 14 cities who had answered the call to serve the community, 600,000 COVID-19 tests were performed, and over 6 million people in Singapore (residents and visitors) who had been screened, tested and cared for by RMG since the pandemic started earlier in the year. We have been integral in leading the COVID-19 fight at Singapore’s air and sea borders, CCF and CRF, in our clinics, and at corporate and public events, and we will continue to lend our best to Singapore as we fight together as one towards a better year ahead.