Riot police deployed to Jurong dormitory re Covid health issues

[ASEAN NOW News]

Armoured police at Westlite Jalan Tukang dormitory on Oct 13, 2021. (Photo: Calvin Oh)

 

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has responded to claims about breaches of COVID-19 health protocols, a lack of access to medical support and inferior quality of catered food at a dormitory at Jalan Tukang in Jurong stated channelnewsasia.com.

 

On Wednesday (Oct 13), officers from MOM's Forward Assurance and Support Teams (FAST) were deployed to the dormitory to investigate the claims.

 

The Singapore Police Force also responded to a call for assistance at the dormitory at about 12.55pm, said the ministry.

 

Special Operations Command vehicles outside Westlite Jalan Tukang dormitory on Oct 13, 2021. (Photo: Calvin Oh)

 

The allegations were made in an online article published on Weixin on Tuesday, an MOM spokesperson said on Wednesday in response to CNA's queries.

 

Weixin is the domestic version of WeChat used in China.

 

"MOM's preliminary investigations found that there were indeed some delays in conveyancing workers who tested positive for COVID-19 from their rooms to a dormitory recovery facility or centralised recovery facility to recover," it said.

 

The ministry said it was transferring those who need further medical care to healthcare facilities for treatment.

It added that roommates of positive cases were allowed to return to work upon producing a negative antigen rapid test result.

 

Telemedicine and Meals

 

Describing conditions in the dormitory, MOM said that residents who wished to see a doctor were taken to a regional medical centre on a daily basis and have access to telemedicine.

 

The ministry said it has also deployed mobile clinical teams on site to meet workers' care needs when necessary.

 

The workers' employer has provided them with three meals a day, said MOM. It added that it has highlighted workers' feedback on the quality of the catered food to the employer.

 

"The employer has since engaged the workers about the issue, and to find out if they have other concerns," said the ministry.

 

MOM said it would continue to collaborate with all stakeholders, including dormitory operators and employers, to ensure the well-being of migrant workers.

 

"We also seek feedback from workers through the existing channels, such as through our FAST officers on-ground or through the dormitory operator," it said.