SINGAPORE: In a thought-provoking forum letter published by the national broadsheet, a medical doctor urged the Singaporean government to reconsider its approach to honouring frontline workers in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and suggested that cash bonuses could better address the immediate needs of those who tirelessly served during the health crisis instead of the medals that are being distributed.
Dr Winston Lee’s views come amid news reports that some recipients of the Covid-19 Resilience Medals have been hawking the awards on e-commerce platforms for profit. Revealing that he was invited to receive the medal, as he had worked in the emergency department and Covid-19 isolation wards of Tan Tock Seng Hospital during the pandemic, Dr Lee said: “I view the actions of these sellers as symbolic of a bigger message – medals do not put food on the table; gestures and tokens are of no use if they do not solve one’s basic needs.”
Challenging the common perception of healthcare workers as driven predominantly by altruistic motives, Dr Lee emphasized that healthcare professionals, like everyone else, work primarily to make a living. He suggested that healthcare workers would value cash bonuses or the government addressing grievances related to work conditions, pay, rights, and protection against abuse as a more tangible form of appreciation.
Dr Lee said: “Many of us feel that money and resources could have been better spent on healthcare workers, such as another cash bonus in lieu of the medal and an extravagant appreciation carnival, for example.”
The doctor also highlighted the diminishing value of the medal due to its sheer abundance. The Prime Minister’s Office website reported that the COVID-19 Resilience Medal was awarded to a staggering 110,365 recipients, far surpassing the 3,436 recipients of the next most common award, the Long Service Medal. He noted, “It is therefore difficult to ascribe the same prestige to the Covid-19 Resilience Medal.”
Dr Lee revealed that he chose not to collect his medal, speculating that the decision of some recipients to sell their medals might be rooted in a similar sentiment – a symbolic act rather than a pursuit of monetary gain.
Read his letter in full HERE.