The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Tuesday that it will cease the Haze Subsidy Scheme with effect from Thursday.

This is because the National Environment Agency has assessed that the likelihood of trans-boundary haze affecting Singapore for the rest of the year will be low with the end of the dry season in the region.

The special scheme, which started on June 21, was implemented to ensure that needy Singaporeans had convenient access to affordable treatment for haze-related conditions. Under the scheme, medical fees were capped at $10 for eligible Singapore citizens seeking treatment for haze-related conditions at participating GP clinics and polyclinics, with MOH subsidising the rest.

More than 670 GP clinics have participated in the scheme and over 17,000 haze-related attendances were seen at the GP clinics and polyclinics, with close to $500,000 in government subsidies provided, MOH said.