National University Hospital (NUH) reportedly cancelled a crucial PET scan for stage 4 cancer patient, Ridwan Bin Aman, after he was unable to pay the $600 deposit in time. The 53-year-old needed the scan before a bone marrow transplant surgery could be arranged.
Local activist Gilbert Goh publicised Ridwan’s plight on Facebook and wrote that the hospital required the deposit to be paid in cash and that Ridwan could not use Medisave or Medifund:
“No Medisave or Medifund can be used and it has to be cold hard cash. In Singapore, sometimes its really stressful if you are poor and sick with a dreadful illness.
“Mind you NUH is supposed to be a government-aided hospital but it has turned profit-making after all the upgrading work.”
Thankfully, a good samaritan reached out to Ridwan and offered him $700 so that he could undergo the scan immediately.
NUH has since rescheduled Ridwan’s scan for 8.55am tomorrow.
A concerned citizen also brought the issue to NUH’s attention through the hospital’s Facebook page before the good samaritan stepped in.
The hospital had said that it would reach out to Ridwan.
