I agree with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung that polyclinics must be sited in a hub to serve the community as a seamless one-stop destination (Polyclinics must work with the community to promote better health: Ong Ye Kung, Nov 25).

This is, however, not the case for Tampines residents. While Tampines Polyclinic has been refurbished, it is overcrowded. And the new Tampines North Polyclinic is hard to access by public transport.

It makes me wonder whether there was a lack of foresight during the planning of Our Tampines Hub (OTH). The integrated hub has more than 30 community, sports, cultural, civic and lifestyle facilities.

But it unfortunately lacks a polyclinic, unlike Heartbeat@Bedok, a similar hub.

Tampines Polyclinic is also not in a building with an affordable hawker centre. And frail seniors need to walk a distance from the nearest bus stops.

Perhaps Tampines Polyclinic should have been kept in mind during the development of OTH. Instead of the renovations that were done, the polyclinic could have been integrated into the hub.

Cheng Lai Wah