The following note is from the Cyberpioneer Facebook page on Friday, 25 January.
Dr Ng Eng Hen visited ME2 Jason Chee this afternoon. The good news is that he has made progress and no longer needs ICU monitoring. Here are Dr Ng's thoughts on the visit:
Good news. Jason is now well enough and has been transferred to the General ward. We can all take comfort that he has made progress and no longer needs ICU monitoring.
I visited Jason today. His complexion was no longer sallow and he could speak long sentences without becoming breathless. He shared how his Navy mates ferried his father to be with him every day. His doctors and nurses tell me he has turned the corner and is out of immediate danger. Jason, according to them, has endeared himself to all the staff through his cheerfulness and optimism despite his severe accident. He knows the individual names of the medical team taking care of him. Over the weeks, they have bonded. So much so, that the ward staff are having a celebration for his birthday tomorrow.
We surprised Jason with a birthday cake during the visit. I noticed that he took a deliberate and longer pause to make a wish before he blew out the candle. Later he asked, if I thought he could continue to be useful in the Navy. He was still young and did not want to waste his life. I reassured him that we would find a vocation that matched his abilities. MINDEF would support him on his road to full recovery.
Many caring Singaporeans have also asked about the long term support to help servicemen like Jason with permanent disabilities get back to independent living. In fact, a question was asked in Parliament and I replied that MINDEF’s compensation and welfare schemes provided significantly higher amounts than what civilians got for the same injury.
But I decided we can and should do more. We must try our best to avoid injuries and death but no one can guarantee that our soldiers will always be safe. In protecting us, the SAF conducts many operations each year, both at home and abroad. Indeed, we send our men and women in uniform regularly to high-risk areas like Afghanistan and off the coast of Somalia. We pray that it will never happen but we must prepare for incidents where many may be injured. The harsh reality is that risks come with every soldier’s duties. MINDEF has therefore decided to start an SAF Care Fund for severely disabled servicemen. MINDEF will build up this fund. Members of the public can also contribute to show their support. This SAF Care fund will be over and above MINDEF’s existing compensation and welfare schemes.
I have personally contributed to the SAF Care Fund. It’s not a huge amount but one that I hope will encourage others to do the same. I wrote to the Lee Foundation for their support. Dr Lee Seng Tee, one of their directors, has a firm belief in a strong defence, having himself lived through the Japanese Occupation. Dr Lee, even though in his 80s, visited our Army Open House last year with his wife as they wanted to see first-hand what our capabilities were. The Lee Foundation has donated $950,000 into this Fund. We now have $1 million in public contributions to the Fund. It’s a good start and a strong show of support for our servicemen who risk life and injury to defend Singapore.
- Ng Eng Hen
[Photo published with the permission of ME2 Jason Chee.]