The Ministry of Health (MOH) is working with public healthcare institutions in Singapore to review their security plans in light of the growing terrorism threat, Minister of State for Health Lam Pin Min said yesterday.
The review is being done with the Ministry of Home Affairs and is expected to be completed in a few months’ time. It will look into preventive security, contingency plans for different scenarios like terrorist incidents and recovery strategies.
The review will also examine the required competency of their security personnel, Dr Lam said in his reply to Dr Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade GRC). But these healthcare institutions, which include public hospitals and polyclinics, already have in place “a baseline level of security”, he added.
This includes day-to-day security operations like closed-circuit television surveillance, patrols and immediate responses to security incidents by security personnel, and access controls against unauthorised entry to restricted and sensitive areas.
The institutions also work with police on developing standard operating procedures and conducting emergency drills to test their preparedness and vigilance, said Dr Lam.
Private healthcare institutions have similar security measures.
They are “part of the public, police-led security and safety workgroup, where they meet regularly to share good practices and to enhance preparedness for security threats”, he added.
yanliang@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on April 5, 2016.
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