SINGAPORE: Health experts say Singaporeans should be
more open to talking about death. About 30 of them are calling for
more dialogue on the taboo subject to help improve the treatment
for patients who are nearing the end of life.
The experts' views are reflected in a study by the
Lien Foundation, a Singapore philanthropic
organisation.
Last year, the Lien Foundation commissioned the
Economist Intelligence Unit to devise a "Quality of Death" Index to
rank countries according to their provision of end-of-life care.
Singapore was ranked 18th among 40 countries surveyed.
Lee Poh Wah, CEO of Lien Foundation, said: "The fear of death and
dying can be alleviated when you have knowledge, when you can talk
openly about it, when you are prepared and of course, when you have
access to the solutions for it to make it a better experience for
yourself and your family."
The Lien Foundation study also highlighted the need to reform the
medical sector to focus more on palliative care.
Experts are suggesting that palliative care be given more resources
or is made more commercially viable.
Dr Jeremy Lim, Lien Centre for Palliative Care's executive
director, said: "What the government can do more of is.....not just
in the resourcing but in the organizing, in how we can shape the
many helping hands so that nationally we are coherent and and there
is an overarching strategy where every provider knows what he is
supposed to do."
The study also proposed ways for the government to provide better
care for the dying, including calls for the National Development
Ministry to look into moving the elderly closer to their
caretakers, and for the Trade and Industry Ministry to support
commercial end-of-life care initiatives.
- CNA/ir
