Healthcare workers became the victims of some Singaporeans’ irrational fears.
One of the uglier realities of the Sars crisis was that healthcare workers – those at the front line of the war against Sars – found themselves discriminated against. Some Singaporeans shunned doctors and nurses, especially from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, fearing that they would get infected.
Assistant nurse Widarni Khanip, 22, was one of those who helped nurse Sars patients at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. It was grueling and emotionally draining work, as Sars patients were denied visitors and so looked to healthcare workers for companionship as well.
Nurse Widarni did not mind. In fact, she had volunteered to work in the Sars ward. But what made her see red was the way she was treated by others just because she wore a nurse’s uniform.
“It was quite normal that, when the MRT train reached Novena station, everyone would disperse. When I got home, people did not want to share the lift with me and when I walked to my door, all my neighbours would shut their windows.
“It made me really angry. Here we were, trying our best to fight for our patients. If we were not there in the Sars wards, who would be there for them?” she said with a frown.
Staff nurse Katherine Javier, 22, added, “We more or less had ‘Sars’ stamped on our foreheads if we walked out in our uniforms. It was already very taxing and tedious working eight-hour shifts with the mask and protection gear. At the end of the day, you just want to relax and have someone tell you you’re doing a good job and not feel discriminated against.”
One nurse was even evicted from her apartment by the landlord. Another said her bank officer husband had been forced to take leave, because the company feared he might be infected by her. Staff complained of buses that refused to stop at TTSH and cabbies that turned them down.
When Minister of State for Health S. Balaji heard all this at a dialogue with TTSH staff, he decided that enough was enough. “Action was taken,” he said. “I think the healthcare workers were quite certain that we took it very seriously.”
The plight of healthcare workers was highlighted in the media by ministers. Responding to the situation, Singaporeans wrote in to the press to condemn discriminatory behaviour towards the healthcare workers and to express support for their work.
Almost overnight, a groundswell of goodwill was created. Across Singapore, many segments of society took action to show appreciation for healthcare workers.
One initiative was the Peach Ribbon Campaign to get members of the public to wear peach satin ribbons to show appreciation for healthcare workers. Altogether, 500,000 ribbons were made. Most were distributed to schools, companies and organizations and shops. Those who got the ribbons were encouraged to make a small donation to the Courage Fund, which was set up for healthcare workers.
“We wanted to rally the people and show the healthcare workers that we all cared for them,” said Dr Leong Seong Kwok, manager of the services division in the Singapore Red Cross.
Lasting from April 18 to May 31, 2003, the project involved 8,000 volunteers, raised $322,121 for the Courage Fund and helped rally public support for the efforts of healthcare workers during Sars.
Sharon Sze Yu Ling, 15, a student from Siglap Secondary School, together with 30 of her Red Cross school cadets, prepared boxes for staff and students in her school to donate to the Courage Fund.
They also made a book for students and staff to pen messages of encouragement to healthcare workers battling Sars and gave it to Tan Tock Seng Hospital staff.
School students, including those from Park View Primary School, made banners or posters to send to healthcare workers.
Celebrities too lent their support to healthcare workers with cards and messages.
Local actor Gurmit Singh, who also hosted a programme on Living with Sars, sent an e-card to SGH.
“Want you to know that what you are doing today (fighting Sars) is going to make a positive and big impact…Don’t worry about the negative things people say, they don’t have brains or they have but don’t know how to use it…(p.s. if you need help to beat up those people who said negative things about you, just let me know. I won’t be able to do anything but at least I know…)”
Comic actor Hossan Leong wrote to healthcare workers to salute their “courage, strength, patience and dedication”, concluding with: “We’ll pull through! I’ll always be here to put a smile on your face.”
Prison inmates at the Kaki Bukit Centre and Tanah Merah Prison made thank-you cards for healthcare workers.
It was a complete turnaround. From being shunned or at best, ignored, healthcare workers – and staff at TTSH in particular – found themselves the centre of attention. Singaporeans could not do enough to show their appreciation.
Singaporeans were nothing if not creative in what they did to help raise money for the funds. Raffles Girls’ Primary School children made and sold bookmarks, raising $4,926.
Among the many students who did their part was Lee Pei Xing, 15, from Bendemeer Secondary School. She was one of the Red Cross cadets who sold peach ribbons to fellow students. She said: “I felt honoured to be able to do my part to help the Sars patients. I think it is really wonderful what the healthcare workers did. During this period of time, they didn’t just resign from their jobs to escape from taking care of Sars patients.”
Her ambition? To be a nurse, of course.
This story is adapted from the book A Defining Moment: How Singapore Beat SARS by Chua Mui Hoong (Institute of Policy Studies, 2004). Text copyright: Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts. Used with permission of MICA.
One of the uglier realities of the Sars crisis was that healthcare workers – those at the front line of the war against Sars – found themselves discriminated against. Some Singaporeans shunned doctors and nurses, especially from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, fearing that they would get infected.
Assistant nurse Widarni Khanip, 22, was one of those who helped nurse Sars patients at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. It was grueling and emotionally draining work, as Sars patients were denied visitors and so looked to healthcare workers for companionship as well.
Nurse Widarni did not mind. In fact, she had volunteered to work in the Sars ward. But what made her see red was the way she was treated by others just because she wore a nurse’s uniform.
“It was quite normal that, when the MRT train reached Novena station, everyone would disperse. When I got home, people did not want to share the lift with me and when I walked to my door, all my neighbours would shut their windows.
“It made me really angry. Here we were, trying our best to fight for our patients. If we were not there in the Sars wards, who would be there for them?” she said with a frown.
Staff nurse Katherine Javier, 22, added, “We more or less had ‘Sars’ stamped on our foreheads if we walked out in our uniforms. It was already very taxing and tedious working eight-hour shifts with the mask and protection gear. At the end of the day, you just want to relax and have someone tell you you’re doing a good job and not feel discriminated against.”
One nurse was even evicted from her apartment by the landlord. Another said her bank officer husband had been forced to take leave, because the company feared he might be infected by her. Staff complained of buses that refused to stop at TTSH and cabbies that turned them down.
When Minister of State for Health S. Balaji heard all this at a dialogue with TTSH staff, he decided that enough was enough. “Action was taken,” he said. “I think the healthcare workers were quite certain that we took it very seriously.”
The plight of healthcare workers was highlighted in the media by ministers. Responding to the situation, Singaporeans wrote in to the press to condemn discriminatory behaviour towards the healthcare workers and to express support for their work.
Almost overnight, a groundswell of goodwill was created. Across Singapore, many segments of society took action to show appreciation for healthcare workers.
One initiative was the Peach Ribbon Campaign to get members of the public to wear peach satin ribbons to show appreciation for healthcare workers. Altogether, 500,000 ribbons were made. Most were distributed to schools, companies and organizations and shops. Those who got the ribbons were encouraged to make a small donation to the Courage Fund, which was set up for healthcare workers.
“We wanted to rally the people and show the healthcare workers that we all cared for them,” said Dr Leong Seong Kwok, manager of the services division in the Singapore Red Cross.
Lasting from April 18 to May 31, 2003, the project involved 8,000 volunteers, raised $322,121 for the Courage Fund and helped rally public support for the efforts of healthcare workers during Sars.
Sharon Sze Yu Ling, 15, a student from Siglap Secondary School, together with 30 of her Red Cross school cadets, prepared boxes for staff and students in her school to donate to the Courage Fund.
They also made a book for students and staff to pen messages of encouragement to healthcare workers battling Sars and gave it to Tan Tock Seng Hospital staff.
School students, including those from Park View Primary School, made banners or posters to send to healthcare workers.
Celebrities too lent their support to healthcare workers with cards and messages.
Local actor Gurmit Singh, who also hosted a programme on Living with Sars, sent an e-card to SGH.
“Want you to know that what you are doing today (fighting Sars) is going to make a positive and big impact…Don’t worry about the negative things people say, they don’t have brains or they have but don’t know how to use it…(p.s. if you need help to beat up those people who said negative things about you, just let me know. I won’t be able to do anything but at least I know…)”
Comic actor Hossan Leong wrote to healthcare workers to salute their “courage, strength, patience and dedication”, concluding with: “We’ll pull through! I’ll always be here to put a smile on your face.”
Prison inmates at the Kaki Bukit Centre and Tanah Merah Prison made thank-you cards for healthcare workers.
It was a complete turnaround. From being shunned or at best, ignored, healthcare workers – and staff at TTSH in particular – found themselves the centre of attention. Singaporeans could not do enough to show their appreciation.
Singaporeans were nothing if not creative in what they did to help raise money for the funds. Raffles Girls’ Primary School children made and sold bookmarks, raising $4,926.
Among the many students who did their part was Lee Pei Xing, 15, from Bendemeer Secondary School. She was one of the Red Cross cadets who sold peach ribbons to fellow students. She said: “I felt honoured to be able to do my part to help the Sars patients. I think it is really wonderful what the healthcare workers did. During this period of time, they didn’t just resign from their jobs to escape from taking care of Sars patients.”
Her ambition? To be a nurse, of course.
This story is adapted from the book A Defining Moment: How Singapore Beat SARS by Chua Mui Hoong (Institute of Policy Studies, 2004). Text copyright: Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts. Used with permission of MICA.
