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Don’t leave funeral professionals out of preparations for pandemics

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Health Security Index placed Singapore 24th out of 195 countries in terms of its readiness for a major infectious-disease outbreak (“Singapore less ready than Malaysia, Thailand to tackle an infectious-disease outbreak, says global study”; Oct 25).

Funeral directors should be invited to share their experiences during the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, says the writer.

Funeral directors should be invited to share their experiences during the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, says the writer.

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Chen Jiaxi

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Health Security Index placed Singapore 24th out of 195 countries in terms of its readiness for a major infectious-disease outbreak (“Singapore less ready than Malaysia, Thailand to tackle an infectious-disease outbreak, says global study”; Oct 25).

I was heartened to read that the Ministry of Health would continue to strengthen its “capabilities to prevent, detect and respond promptly and effectively to public-health threats, and address any gaps that may exist”.

In this regard, it is my hope that funeral professionals are not left out of the conversation, especially in managing mass casualties during a public-health epidemic.

The funeral profession is an important stakeholder in enhancing Singapore’s pandemic response.

But at present, the profession is not ready for a widespread public-health pandemic. 

The last major public-health crisis happened in 2003, when an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) claimed 33 lives. Given the nature of today’s epidemics, Singapore must plan for scenarios in which we are confronted with deaths in the hundreds and thousands.

There is also a need to reach out to religious leaders in the community and involve them in the management of the dead, bereavement counselling and communication in a mass-fatality event, where traditional death rituals are likely to be adjusted, curtailed or totally abandoned.

Given the lack of human resources in the funeral industry, there is a need to prepare community leaders, such as grassroots leaders and business associations, for this eventuality. They need to be equipped with the resources and know-how to tackle the challenges during a pandemic in collaboration with funeral professionals.

More fundamentally, the funeral profession needs to be included in any emergency-management plan with medical faculties, coroners, public-health officials and the armed forces, to bring any infections arising from mass fatalities down to the minimum.

Such an emergency-management plan should be updated yearly and communicated to the public.

The incidence of contagion during a pandemic for funeral professionals will be high, given the continued exposure to mass deaths. The funeral profession has the responsibility of ensuring that staff vaccinations are constantly kept up-to-date.

For a start, funeral directors should be invited to share their experiences during the 2003 Sars epidemic with various stakeholders and government agencies to fine-tune our responses to pandemics. 

Have views on this issue or a news topic you care about? Send your letter to voices [at] mediacorp.com.sg with your full name, address and phone number. 

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