MOH needs to implement strategies to prevent mishaps

This is already the third high-profile mishap under the Ministry of Health in recent years. PHOTO: REUTERS

News of the HIV Registry leak comes as a surprise, and may have a negative impact on Singapore's economy, given our attempts to promote the country as a hub for data centres in Asia (Data of 14,200 people with HIV leaked online by US fraudster; Jan 29).

This is already the third high-profile mishap under the Ministry of Health (MOH) in recent years, after the SingHealth data breach last year and the hepatitis C outbreak at the Singapore General Hospital in 2015 due to poor infection control practices.

One has to question how this latest leak occurred in the first place, given that the culprits had already been caught and punished.

Perhaps the authorities involved in the investigation missed something in the process of questioning the culprits.

Singapore needs more than just another MOH apology. Strategies must be put in place to prevent incidents like these from happening again.

Gabriel Ong

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 01, 2019, with the headline MOH needs to implement strategies to prevent mishaps. Subscribe