Clinic for people with disabilities to open in Khatib polyclinic by end 2026
About 400 PWD patients are expected to benefit from two dedicated clinics in Ang Mo Kio and Khatib.
A dedicated clinic for people with disabilities and their caregivers will open by the end of 2026 in Khatib's NHG Khatib Polyclinic, expanding healthcare access for a group that often faces challenges navigating the healthcare system. The SPARk Clinic, which stands for Supporting PWDs with Accessible Resources and (k)are, will be run by a team of six healthcare staff trained to understand the unique challenges faced by this community, including communication difficulties, sensory sensitivities, and difficulties managing medical appointments.
The clinic, which started as a two-year pilot in NHG Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic in July 2024, will offer longer consultation slots, sensory kits, and regular check-ins for caregivers to manage their own well-being. Since its inception with 37 patients, the clinic has grown to 85 patients who have shown significant improvement in handling their conditions and appointments.
This initiative comes after years of advocacy for better healthcare for people with disabilities, including the founding of IDHealth, Singapore's first community-based clinic for those with intellectual disabilities, by medical doctor Chen Shiling. NHG Health will assess the success of the two clinics before considering any future expansion plans.
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