Kind and caring doctor who kept charges low to help the needy
MacPherson GP, who often went the extra mile for his patients, dies from Covid-19; MOH says no evidence he was infected by patient
A family physician at a clinic in MacPherson who died from Covid-19 at the weekend has been remembered as a kind, caring doctor who deliberately kept his charges low to help the needy in the area.
A message circulating on social media yesterday, as well as among various doctors here, said Dr Raymond Yuen of Hosanna Medical Centre died in Tan Tock Seng Hospital after battling the virus.
Asked about the message, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said last night that Dr Yuen, 65, had died from Covid-19 last Saturday.
Expressing its condolences to Dr Yuen's family, MOH added that there is no evidence he was infected by a Covid-19 patient.
Local media outlet 8world had earlier reported a clinic staff member as saying Dr Yuen could have caught the virus from a patient.
MOH said Dr Yuen's clinic is neither a Public Health Preparedness Clinic nor a Swab-and-Send-Home Clinic, and that there are no records of his clinic seeing any Covid-19 patients recently.
It added Dr Yuen had been partially vaccinated against Covid-19 with a non-mRNA vaccine, and had no known medical conditions.
Calls The Straits Times made to the clinic went unanswered, but ST understands that Dr Yuen's wake took place on Sunday.
Dr Yuen, who was born in Hong Kong and later became a citizen here, graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1987 and arrived in Singapore in 1990. He got his Master of Medicine from the National University of Singapore in 1992.
Dr Lee Pheng Soon, a general practitioner who worked with Dr Yuen at a clinic in the early 1990s, told ST that Dr Yuen was a "soft-spoken but very friendly person".
He recalled: "He would go out of his way to help people who needed anything extra. He used to give lots of extra time to patients who were concerned or did not understand their illnesses, or who just needed the extra attention.
"It is no exaggeration to say some of his patients loved him for his kindness. Many years after he left the clinic... patients would still ask after him and request we relay their best wishes."
"He would reach out to people who needed help, and go all out to help them," added Dr Lee.
Yesterday morning, MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling put up a Facebook post about a caring GP in the area who had died.
She wrote: "I learnt about the great things he had done for our community in MacPherson from residents who used to see him at his clinic.
"They shared about how the affable doctor made visits to the clinic less intimidating. They enjoyed the small talk and tips on leading a healthy and holistic lifestyle, which he was so passionate about... Many of his patients became friends with him."
Adding that she was "deeply saddened" by the news, she noted that Dr Yuen had kept consultation charges low so that the more vulnerable residents would be encouraged to seek medical care.
Dr Yuen was also in the news in 2005 for his generosity to his foreign maid at the time.
He had gone the extra mile to care for her, such as paying for one year's house rent for her family in Sri Lanka, and flying her daughter to Singapore after her house and school were destroyed in the 2004 tsunami.
Not only did he pay for her flight and put her up in his home, but he also enrolled the girl in school here, and helped to pay for her school fees from time to time.
Speaking to ST at the time, Dr Yuen had said: "I think I did very little... Maids have needs and emotions too, and they need privacy like any other human being."
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