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Singapore — Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said they would redouble efforts in providing quality, accessible, seamless and affordable healthcare for migrant workers on top of improving housing standards as part of a multi-year road map.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has laid out the multi-year road map to building a more resilient migrant workforce, including strengthening laws to ensure that all dormitories, regardless of size, adhere to the standards.

MOM also plans to improve healthcare for migrant workers and focus on their well-being by boosting community outreach and upgrading recreation centres.

Speaking in a media interview on Thursday (Dec 16), Dr Tan announced that standards on living space and common facilities at existing dormitories would be raised, possibly as soon as next year.

Dr Tan also said that this operating model would support migrant workers before they enter Singapore all the way up to the time they return to their homelands.

The operating model is a constantly improving one, with MOM executing design principles in the next few years, said Dr Tan in a Straits Times report.

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In the wake of Covid-19, Dr Tan mentioned MOM’s plans for reintegrating migrant workers into the community through the safe and measured easing of movement restrictions.

However, he noted that this could not be done “based on feel” in light of the new Omicron variant.

“We have to base it on studies; we have to base it on real data,” said Dr Tan, although 98 per cent of migrant workers are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 while 88 per cent of those eligible for a booster shot have received the third dose.

“We still need to have data when it comes to how we respond and how our immune systems and our defences will behave (to the new variant)… Would you rather that I commit without knowing these things? I don’t think that it will be tenable,” said Dr Tan.

He called on the private sector, non-governmental organisations, volunteers, even philanthropists for their continued support.

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On Saturday (Dec 18), Dr Tan joined the International Migrants Day event at the Kranji Recreation Centre.

In a Facebook post on Sunday (Dec 19), he said that the theme of this year’s celebrations is “Joining Hands, Building Bonds.”

“It was heartening to see our valued partners and migrant workers coming together to celebrate the special occasion,” said Dr Tan.

He thanked the partners that made the event possible, such as Team Nila under SportSG, which organised the futsal tournament for migrant workers.

Dr Tan also presented awards to partners as part of the inaugural Friends of ACE (FACE) Volunteer and Partner Awards, recognising the outstanding contributions of various stakeholders and migrant worker volunteers in uplifting the well-being of Singapore’s migrant workforce.

“It takes a whole-of-society effort to take care of our migrant workers, and I am happy to see that manifested in our celebrations,” said Dr Tan. /TISG

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ByHana O