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SARS and Immigration Offenders / Illegal Foreign Workers
JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY AND
THE MINISTRY OF MANPOWER
Everyone must play a part in fighting SARS by exercising responsible behaviour. This includes coming forward to seek medical attention if one is sick. Preventing the spread of SARS is everyone's responsibility and in one's own interest.
2 The Government has maintained open and transparent communication with all sectors of the population. Foreign workers are among the various groups that the Government is reaching out to share information about SARS and the precautions to take. They have been issued with health advisories in their native languages educating them on SARS and its prevention at the workplace. We are reiterating our call to all foreign workers to seek prompt medical treatment at one of the following four polyclinics, if they have a possible SARS infection (SARS-related symptoms include a sudden onset of high fever and one or more respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing) and/or have had close contact with a SARS patient. These four Polyclinics have specially fitted facilities to provide screening and medical treatment for patients with fever:
(a) Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic
2 Teck Whye Crescent #01-11, Singapore 688846
Tel: 67659659
(b) Yishun Polyclinic
100 Yishun Central, Singapore 768826
Tel: 67577790
(c) Geylang Polyclinic
21 Geylang East Central, Singapore 389707
Tel : 68422440
(d) Tampines Polyclinic
1 Tampines Street 41, Singapore 529203
Tel : 67864070
3 SARS is infectious and in the absence of a vaccine or cure, early treatment is critical to recovery. For their own health and continued livelihood, all foreign workers, regardless of the means through which they arrived in Singapore or employment status, are encouraged to look after their own health and that of their fellow countrymen and friends.
4 For those foreign workers who did not enter Singapore through the normal immigration channels or have overstayed, and voluntarily come forward to seek treatment for a possible SARS infection and, or have had close contact with a SARS patient, the Government is prepared to consider their immigration or illegal employment offence compassionately. To protect themselves from being infected with SARS, foreign workers should inform Police or the Ministry of Heath of any of their friends who have symptoms of SARS. Appropriate medical treatment will be given.
5 We wish to remind the public that it is an offence to offer shelter and employ immigration offenders. Besides being liable for prosecution, harbourers and employers of immigration offenders / illegal foreign workers also run the risk of exposing themselves to SARS should these offenders be infected with SARS. They should thus encourage offenders who they know of and are unwell to seek medical treatment at one of the four polyclinics listed at Para 2.
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
Ministry of Manpower
26 May 2003
Contact numbers :
ICA's Hotline :- 6391 6100
MOM's Hotline :- 6438 5122
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY AND
THE MINISTRY OF MANPOWER
Everyone must play a part in fighting SARS by exercising responsible behaviour. This includes coming forward to seek medical attention if one is sick. Preventing the spread of SARS is everyone's responsibility and in one's own interest.
2 The Government has maintained open and transparent communication with all sectors of the population. Foreign workers are among the various groups that the Government is reaching out to share information about SARS and the precautions to take. They have been issued with health advisories in their native languages educating them on SARS and its prevention at the workplace. We are reiterating our call to all foreign workers to seek prompt medical treatment at one of the following four polyclinics, if they have a possible SARS infection (SARS-related symptoms include a sudden onset of high fever and one or more respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing) and/or have had close contact with a SARS patient. These four Polyclinics have specially fitted facilities to provide screening and medical treatment for patients with fever:
(a) Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic
2 Teck Whye Crescent #01-11, Singapore 688846
Tel: 67659659
(b) Yishun Polyclinic
100 Yishun Central, Singapore 768826
Tel: 67577790
(c) Geylang Polyclinic
21 Geylang East Central, Singapore 389707
Tel : 68422440
(d) Tampines Polyclinic
1 Tampines Street 41, Singapore 529203
Tel : 67864070
3 SARS is infectious and in the absence of a vaccine or cure, early treatment is critical to recovery. For their own health and continued livelihood, all foreign workers, regardless of the means through which they arrived in Singapore or employment status, are encouraged to look after their own health and that of their fellow countrymen and friends.
4 For those foreign workers who did not enter Singapore through the normal immigration channels or have overstayed, and voluntarily come forward to seek treatment for a possible SARS infection and, or have had close contact with a SARS patient, the Government is prepared to consider their immigration or illegal employment offence compassionately. To protect themselves from being infected with SARS, foreign workers should inform Police or the Ministry of Heath of any of their friends who have symptoms of SARS. Appropriate medical treatment will be given.
5 We wish to remind the public that it is an offence to offer shelter and employ immigration offenders. Besides being liable for prosecution, harbourers and employers of immigration offenders / illegal foreign workers also run the risk of exposing themselves to SARS should these offenders be infected with SARS. They should thus encourage offenders who they know of and are unwell to seek medical treatment at one of the four polyclinics listed at Para 2.
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
Ministry of Manpower
26 May 2003
Contact numbers :
ICA's Hotline :- 6391 6100
MOM's Hotline :- 6438 5122