Singapore defence minister praises SAF medics for saving contractor's life on Pulau Tekong

Singapore defence minister praises SAF medics for saving contractor's life on Pulau Tekong

Their job is to nurse sick and injured soldiers back to health, but they went beyond their call of duty to save the life of a civilian recently.

Medics of the Singapore Armed Forces promptly attended to contractor Phua Yong Teck, 55, after he suffered a heart attack while working on Pulau Teckong on Jan 6.

He was rushed to the island's Rocky Hill Medical Centre where a doctor and his medic team gave him emergency resuscitation. Another team then transported him to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH ) on the mainland.

In a Facebook post yesterday (Feb 27), Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen praised the men for their quick response which helped to save Mr Phua's life.

He wrote: "Mr Phua survived, although the first week in ICU was touch and go. Today, Mr Phua is recuperating at home and thankful to the medical team at Pulau Tekong who saved his life."

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/ngenghen/posts/1271401376286452[/embed]

Mr Phua with Mrs Phua and their son, Jordan.Photo: Dr Ng Eng Hen's Facebook page

In the post, the minister named members of the team who performed emergency resuscitation: LTA (Dr) Yap Guan Hui and his medics, 3SG Muhamad Nur Yassin Bin Mohamed Hanif, CPL Muhammad Zakaria Bin Mohd Zaid and LCP Karuppiah Adiram. He also mentioned the 1 Medical Squadron which transported Mr Phua to to SGH.

From left, LTA (Dr) Yap Guan Hui, 3SG Muhamad Nur Yassin Bin Mohamed Hanif, CPL Muhammad Zakaria Bin Mohd Zaid, LCP Karuppiah Adiram from Rocky Hill Medical Centre responded to the medical emergency.Photo: Dr Ng Hen Hen's Facebook page

Dr Ng, who was a consultant surgeon at SGH in the mid-1990s, also posted photos of the two teams while visiting Mr Phua at his home.

He penned: "Doctors had told Mr Phua that he was very fortunate to have received prompt medical attention from the SAF medical teams when he suffered the cardiac arrest. Mrs Phua and their son, Jordan Phua, said that the first four days when Mr Phua was in ICU was torturous for them, as doctors were afraid that Mr Phua may never fully recover and may risk brain damage.

"Fortunately, Mr Phua pulled through and is on the way to full recovery."

Training and regular practice drill sessions with a simulated casualty enables the medics and medical officers to respond quickly when a real incident occurs.Photo: Dr Ng Eng Hen's Facebook page

Another photo posted by the minister shows how the medics hone their skills at training and practice drill sessions using a simulated casualty.

Such session enables the medics and medical officers "to respond quickly when a real incident occurs".

As of noon today, the minister's post garnered nearly 900 responses and 100 shares.

chenj@sph.com.sg

Facebook users have praises for the medics too.
Photo: Dr Ng Eng Hen's Facebook page

Read also:

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How the community can help with heart attacks in their neighbourhood

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