Singapore's charity launches fundraiser for migrant workers with critical illnesses

Singapore (The Uttam Hindu): A Singaporean charity has unveiled a new initiative to support migrant workers facing critical illnesses, aiming to raise 410,500 Singapore dollars (about $307,875) to assist 20 workers over the next two years.

According to the fund's founders at a press briefing on Friday, the CritiCare Fund for Migrant Workers seeks to bridge the financial gaps for workers whose insurance payouts fall short of covering treatment costs, Xinhua news agency reported.

Donations will be managed by Ray of Hope, a registered charity overseen by Singapore's Ministry of Social and Family Development. Disbursement decisions will be made by a community-led council that includes doctors, civil society folks, employers, migrant workers and others.

The council has estimated that each case will require approximately 20,000 Singapore dollars, setting aside an additional 10,500 Singapore dollars for administrative expenses.

The team will also collect data on the incidence of critical illnesses among migrant workers, aiming to inform future insurance policies and healthcare planning.

For many migrant workers in Singapore, the costs of treating conditions like late-stage cancer or other serious diseases are prohibitive, said a report presented at the briefing, noting that when workers are unable to continue employment due to illness, most employers often terminate their work permit and send them home to their countries.

Singapore mandates that employers must purchase medical insurance for migrant workers with a minimum annual claim limit of 60,000 Singapore dollars per worker. While this provides a safety net for basic hospitalisations, the limit is often insufficient for severe conditions like late-stage cancer.

Meanwhile, "mandatory insurance does not cover outpatient treatments like chemotherapy or overseas care if they are repatriated," said Anthea Ong, one of the fund's founders and a former nominated member of parliament.

"Unexpected heart attacks, cancer, strokes, and diabetes are among the leading causes of death in the migrant worker community," Yeo Guat Kwang, chairman of Singapore's Migrant Workers' Center and a former member of Parliament, told The Straits Times in 2020.

Singapore is home to more than 1.5 million foreign workers as of June, according to the Ministry of Manpower. (1 Singapore dollar equals $0.75)