TTSH says Ravi Philemon wasn’t given permission by family of deceased healthcare worker to share story
Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has responded to the story of a recently deceased healthcare worker first publicised by Red Dot United (RDU) Secretary-General Ravi Philemon.
The hospital said his account was inaccurate but did not disclose further information about the healthcare worker.
Source: Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Google Maps
Deceased TTSH healthcare worker collapsed in operating theatre: Philemon
Mr Philemon, who before helming RDU had been a member of various other opposition parties, first shared the story on Facebook on 26 Jan.
He said it was related to him by a concerned resident who felt it was important to highlight this issue but wished to remain anonymous.
Source: Ravi Philemon on Facebook
The 34-year-old female healthcare worker who died joined through the Professional Conversion Programme and collapsed in the operating theatre due to “severe fatigue”, he claimed.
She was given three days’ medical leave but was allegedly denied an extension, he added.
She subsequently passed away, with Mr Philemon attributing her death possibly to “fatigue and work-related stress”.
TTSH responded to Philemon on 22 Jan
Mr Philemon wrote to TTSH to confirm the claims and received a response on 22 Jan, he said.
While acknowledging that a healthcare worker had fallen ill, the hospital “clarified that some of the details initially shared with us were inaccurate”, he added.
They purportedly “did not provide further specifics”, citing the privacy of the deceased and her family.
He then went ahead and posted about this on 26 Jan, calling for more measures to ensure healthcare professionals are not placed under undue stress.
TTSH says Philemon shouldn’t have put up public post about deceased healthcare worker
On Friday (31 Jan), TTSH responded to Mr Philemon’s post, describing his account as inaccurate.
However, the hospital declined to disclose further information about the deceased healthcare worker out of respect for her and her family, who has been in close contact with them.
TTSH said the opposition politician shouldn’t have put up a public post on her as he wasn’t asked nor given permission by her family to raise the issue publicly, adding:
We have communicated with Mr Ravi Philemon on 22 January 2025, to explain that the situation was not what he thinks, but it is regrettable that he has persisted with his own incorrect account of the situation and then put out a public post on the matter.
The hospital is “deeply saddened” by the loss, it said, urging the public to refrain from sharing unverified information that could cause unnecessary distress to those who knew her.
Source: Google Maps
Philemon says he’s focused on healthcare workers’ well-being
In another post late on Friday night, Mr Philemon retorted that TTSH did not point out which parts of his posts were inaccurate.
If it had done so, he would have “gladly made the necessary changes”, he said, adding that the hospital could have revealed any additional information in private and requested for him not to share the information.
He also claimed that the hospital “affirmed the core points” of his post in its email to him on 22 Jan, giving him “no reason to suspect” what the deceased healthcare worker’s colleague told him.
While he was not asked by the deceased’s family to raise the issue, he noted that he was asked by her colleague to “seek better outcomes for healthcare workers”.
He appreciated TTSH’s efforts to ensure their staff members’ well-being but “more can always be done”, he said, adding:
The death of one healthcare worker is already one too many.
He also said he was grateful for the opportunity to discuss the important issue privately with TTSH.
Also read: S’pore Healthcare Worker Says Nurses Aren’t Coping Well, Seeks Honesty & Support From Authorities
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Featured image adapted from Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Facebook.
