Speech By Guest of Honour, Mr Heng Chee How, Senior Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office at the Sian Chay Charity Golf & Dinner
Speech By Guest of Honour, Mr Heng Chee How, Senior Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office at the Sian Chay Charity Golf & Dinner on 30th August 2017 at Singapore Island Country Club, 180 Island Club Road, Singapore 578774
Mr Toh Soon Huat, BBM, PVPA, Chairman of Sian Chay Medical Institution
Raymond Chua, Organising Committee Chairman.
Directors, Management and Staff of Sian Chay Medical Institution.
Ladies and gentlemen.
A very good evening.
I am happy to join you this evening at the Sian Chay Charity Golf Dinner 2017.
Sian Chay Medical Institution, under the able leadership of the Chairman Mr Toh Soon Huat, has made phenomenal progress in the past 4 years since 2014. Between January 2014 and June 2017, Sian Chay with its network of 13 branches supported by 115 fulltime TCM staff, has served 732,839 patient visits and dispensed 1,560,888 dosages of prescriptions. In other words, Sian Chay is serving a daily average of over 1,000 patients.
The Management has forecasted for Sian Chay to serve up to 2.5 million patient visits and dispensed about 4.8 dosages of prescription in the next 5 years (2018-2022). Sian Chay is opening two new branches; namely, Gambas Branch and Moulmein-Cairnhill Branch by end 2017.
I wish to commend Sian Chay Medical Institution for the compassion to set up the Pioneer Generation Medical Fund in 2016 to recognise and appreciate the Pioneer Generation for their contributions to the nation building.
Since its establishment, the Pioneer Generation Medical Institution has received substantial support from the Lee Foundation which has made three separate donations of $1 million each in 2014, 2016 and 2017. The $3 million donation to the Pioneer Generation Medical Institution has enabled Sian Chay to serve and support 300,000 Pioneer Generation patient visits since January 2016. The Pioneer Generation was able to enjoy full waiver of medical charges while seeking consultation and treatment at Sian Chay TCM clinics. Lee Foundation truly deserves our appreciation and acknowledgment.
Sian Chay also entered into community partnerships with the Silver Ribbon (Singapore) in mental healthcare and advocacy; and RSVP (Singapore) to promote the well being of senior volunteers. Through these two partnerships, 1,000 Silver Ribbon clients and 2,000 RSVP senior volunteers are able to enjoy full waiver of medical charges at Sian Chay TCM clinics.
To sustain and fund the rapid branch network expansion and support for the needy and elderly; especially Pioneer Generation, Sina Chay has embarked on an active fundraising campaign since 2014. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all sponsors, donors and supporters for your contribution and support towards the various Sian Chay Charity projects, including recent ‘Love from Sian Chay’ Charity Gala which raised $10.24 million on 8th July 2017.
I also like to congratulate the Organising Committee of the Sian Chay Charity Golf 2017 for your efforts to raise funds for Sian Chay. I strongly urge all benevolent sponsors to give your full support to the charity auction this evening to enable the Organising Committee to achieve their fundraising target.
May I wish everyone a happy 52nd National Day.
Thank you.