Reply from MOH

20th March 2024 Dear Mr Raymond, Thank you for your suggestions on 9 March 2024, received by the Ministry of Health regarding the need to improve mental health awareness and reduce stigma of mental illnesses. We wish to share that this is a focus area of the National Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy which was launched last year, and there have been ongoing efforts to address this. One example is the Health Promotion Board (HPB)’s “It’s OKAY to Reach Out” campaign in 2021 which strived to normalise conversations on mental health and encourage individuals to seek help when needed. The Beyond the Label (BTL) Movement started by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) since 2018 is another campaign that raises mental health awareness and combats stigma. We are also enhancing mental health literacy and building resilience among our youth through the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum in schools. Students are taught to overcome stigma and show care, respect and empathy to all. In Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), students are trained to provide emotional support to their peers in mental distress. Today, over 48,000 frontline personnel such as the police, school teachers and other frontline personnel have received training to detect and support individuals with mental health issues. Such training would be extended to more segments of our population to further strengthen our community support networks and our collective resolve as a society to overcome stigma. We appreciate the time taken to share your concerns with us. Thank you and we wish you good health. Yours sincerely, Siti Hanom for Quality Service Manager Ministry of Health, Singapore

Silver Ribbon Singapore Porche Poh who is their Executive Director wrote a timely press letter to the Straits Times Forum. I followed up with my views as well. Unfortunately, it was not published, as I had expected. Here is my article: Letter to the forum: Adopt a more compassionate, caring and understanding approach to mental illness I agree wholeheartedly with Silver Ribbon Singapore’s Porsche Poh that the police must be competent in handling persons with mental disorders (Ensure police are competent in managing mental health crises, Mar 9). As a staunch mental health advocate who has helped my late wife through her battle with schizophrenia for four decades and many other psychiatric patients and their caregivers, I have found that when empathy, understanding and kindness are woven in, there is a good chance of patients being able to move on in life. There is a dire need to be mindful of the tone, tempo and attitude when handling persons struggling with mental health issues. There may be relatives who are in denial about a loved one’s mental illness. This is one reason why it is crucial for public education on mental health issues to be intensified in all sectors of the population, including schools and tertiary institutions. Lack of knowledge about mental illness can contribute to unintentional negativity. Unfortunately, mental illness is often viewed as a shameful illness which is why many sufferers do not want to seek the much-needed treatment. Members of Parliament need to carry out periodic home visits to ensure that residents are able to cope with the cost of living, health issues and job losses. Whenever persons with mental disorders are brought in by the police either from endangering their lives and those around them, society will view them as troublemakers. This will further deepen the stigma against mental illness. Bear in mind that an inclusive society is one that supports people, provides opportunities and celebrates diversity without discriminating or having prejudiced beliefs against persons with special needs. RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO

URGENT FUND RASING

Title: I have advocated for others; let me advocate for myself. What happened to Raymond Fernando? “I am a 73 years old author and mental health advocate, and prior to her passing, caregiver to my spouse of 40 years. I resigned from my broadcasting job and dedicated 40 years to caring for my beloved late wife who battled schizophrenia and depression for almost all her adult life. My caregiving experience enables me to educate the public on mental health issues and it has made me passionate about it. To make ends meet, I started my literary career, and my books have allowed us to make ends meet for the past 2 decades. Age catches up with us all, and I lost my wife in 2013. Thereafter, it became increasingly challenging to find platforms that supported book sales. I was badly hit when we went through the COVID pandemic in 2020, when the religious organisations where I previously sold my books stopped allowing me to do so. While I still write about subjects, I am passionate about, it has been hard to sustain my livelihood and I have been depleting my savings to make ends meet. Presently, I struggle with several chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. While I took these in my stride, the recent diagnosis in August 2023 with Magnetic Gait severely affected my mobility, placing me at high fall risk. I am still active as a mental health advocate, with my most recent contribution being a sharing on mental resilience at the Australian High Commission this month. I do this, in spite of my physiological challenges, with no remuneration, because I firmly believe that we need to take care of each other. How can you help? In my time of need, I sincerely ask for your support for my daily living expenses. I am seeking more secure ways of financing myself in the long run, and these funds will buy me time to do so.” Your support of $3,900 will help cover Raymond’s monthly expenses on meals and transportation for 6 months ($650 x 6 months). Find out more about Raymond Fernando For his advocacy efforts, Raymond Fernando has been conferred several awards from many institutions and organisations, the most recent ones being the “Pioneer of Promise Award” by the Silent Heroes Management & the “Patient Caregivers Award” by Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Find out more about Raymond Fernando on his social media platforms: LIST ● : Facebook ● Blog: Ray of Light Find Raymond Fernando featured in other Youtube videos: LIST ● Living with a schizophrenic for 40 years - YouTube ● Raymond Anthony Fernando - Silent Hero Story | 2022 "Pioneer of Promise" | Singapore Silent Heroes Notable awards Raymond Fernando has received: LIST ● “Model Caregiver Award” by AWWA (2010) ● Mental Health Champion Award (2011) ● Traffic Police Award for road safety poem

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Serious gating issues unresolved, show concern and compassion to seniors

Dear PM Lee & Ministers and CEO TTSH Serious gating issues unresolved, show concern and compassion to seniors I refer to the above matter and appreciate your concern for lonely seniors like myself. In Parliament on Monday, PM Lee presented a grim picture of what the world is today and called on all Singaporeans to support DPM Lawrence Wong. I agree that we should support DPM Wong because he is a kind politician who welcomes feedback. But at the end of the day, the Cabinet has to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that they can help seniors like myself with improvements to our healthcare system and to be sensitive to the needs of all Singaporeans– many of whom are struggling with the high cost of living here. For months now I am facing endless problems with the gating issues which until today have gone on unresolved, and placing me at high risks of falling down. What is just as troubling is that there is poor coordination and competence in the 2 doctors I am seeing at the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI)I, TTSH. Today 20th April 2023, after waiting for an hour, I managed to see Neurosurgeon Dr Nicole Keong and she asked if I would want surgery on my brain by inserting a stent from the brain to the spine. The risks include infection and that there is no guarantee that the gating issue will be resolved. I requested some medicine to help resolve the gating issue, but she told me I should ask Dr Fifi from NNI to prescribe medicines. The last time I asked Dr Fifi for medicines she said it is not necessary and that I ought to consider brain surgery given that there are high levels of protein in my brain and spine. Neurosurgeon Dr Nicole Keong told me this afternoon that the brain is stable now. I am perplexed as to why both doctors cannot come together on a given appointment to help resolve this gating issue where I have to hold the walls in my flat to move about. Seriously! I will have to wait about 2 weeks until I see Dr Fifi on 8th May 2023 and in the meantime, what is going to happen to me if I fall down because that is the reality of gating issues. I suggest that a directive be issued so that my gating issue is resolved- once and for all. I can’t be a prisoner in my own home and having to spend taxi money when I go out for breakfast and lunch when the CC staff are not available to buy my meals. Be sensitive when giving out GST cash In a new report, it was mentioned that effective 1st June 2023, diners who fail to clear their trays and cutlery will be fined $300 at least without any warning given this time around. Nobody feels comfortable when they are having their meals and are watched by the NEA staff and her volunteers – some of whom are downright arrogant. Then at the same period, the GST cash will be given out. This can give the impression that while giving out goodies on the right hand, the left hand takes it back. This is poor PR and will not augur well for the government. In conclusion, I trust that with the government's support, kindness and compassion, my gaiting problem will be a thing of the past and I can go on to lead a normal life. Kindly give me a reply and if that takes time, I appreciate an interim response. Thank you. Sincerely, Raymond Anthony Fernando

The upcoming public rental housing scheme for senior singles

18th March 2023 DPM Lawrence Wong Care -off the Ministry of Finance Dear DPM Lawrence Wong, The upcoming public rental housing scheme for senior singles I refer to the above matter and would like to offer some suggestions to improve on the scheme. I hope as DPM you could discuss my proposal to the MND Minister and his MOS at the same ministry. I had much earlier proposed a scheme for homeless people (See- “Ray of Light: A roof over the head, a meal on the table: A public suggestion to the Singapore Government on the homeless in Singapore (rayhope8.blogspot.com).” With 24 people cooking in one kitchen, there is bound to be arguments and conflicts. It is not easy to manage seniors as many of them are grumpy, get agitated easily and are inpatient. Then there are toilets to be shared and this too poses another set of problems. When I use the handicapped toilet at the Ang Mo Kio MRT station, the elderly user takes longer than necessary, and this causes annoyance on the part of other seniors. MND could look into the feasibility of employing a chef to cook some healthy food with inputs from the residents. Or it could cater meals for the residents at affordable prices and the residents pay for the meals. The other alternative is to hire a Boarding House Master to supervise the scheme so that some sort of discipline is adhered to. Imagine 24 seniors cooking at the common kitchen which has knives, choppers, boiling water and hot oiled frying pans. It is a chaos-waiting to happen. It is the same with the shared toilets. Patience is not a virtue with many seniors. So, it is best to have a small toilet in each room. I know that there is limited space, but it is better to consider the options otherwise the new rooms for residents can well become a PR disaster. Sincerely, RAYMOND ANTHONY FERNANDO