Since its inception on 1st August 2004, Tzu Chi Free Clinic has been providing quality healthcare services to needy residents, serving mostly elderly people in its old premises in Chinatown. It ceased operations temporarily after the building was returned to its original owner at the end of 2007. Recently, the clinic was relocated to its new premises covering an area of 5000 square feet at the void deck of Block 90 in Redhill Close. Picture:Guests-of-Honour, TIMA members and volunteers took a group picture to commemorate the special day.

Mr. Tan Chin Siong, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC (center holding palms), hoped that Tzu Chi Free Clinic would benefit the Redhill community greatly. He wished everyone could come forward to give of themselves to society.

Venerable De Yuan, abbess of the Bao Guang Temple, and her nuns proceeded to the ceremony site with the company of Mr. David Liu, CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore.

More than 500 people including guests-of-honour, volunteers and residents were present at the scene to witness the historic event.

TIMA members consisting of doctors and nurses clad in their distinctive white coats performed “A Tribute to the White Robe” on the stage.

A red cloth unveiled the Tzu Chi Free Clinic, marking a new chapter in Tzu Chi Singapore's medical mission.

Stepping into the clinic, the patients are welcomed by the warm smiles of volunteers who serve them with drinks and snacks. These volunteers are the “software” of the Free Clinic, playing the role of listener and provider of love and comfort.

The warm smile and hospitality of the volunteers help chase away patient’s stress.

A volunteer sharing stories published in Tzu Chi magazines with the waiting patients.

While doing health check for the senior residents, the nurses also advise the elderly to eat healthily and exercise regularly.

Giving back to society: Grandma Luo and Grandma Huang were frequent visitors of the Free Clinic back in Chinatown. Delighted with its reopening at Redhill, the two warm-hearted elderly brought their savings intended for donation to the new premise and presented it to the volunteers.

Since 2006, Tzu Chi volunteers have been serving communities island-wide and their efforts are well recognised by local authorities. The re-opening of the Free Clinic at its new premises is made possible through the support from the Ministry of Health and the grassroots leaders of Radin Mas community. This is an important milestone in the history of Tzu Chi Singapore Branch. The clinic now offers a much wider range of healthcare services than before. Besides western and traditional Chinese medicine, it also provides dental treatment, health screening, treament room, X-ray and etc.  

On 1st November, more than 500 people including guests-of-honour, volunteers and residents were present at the scene to witness the historic event. The guests-of-honour invited to grace the opening ceremony included Mr Tan Chin Siong, Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC, Mr Benjamin Ho, Deputy Representative from the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, and Professor Patrick Tseng, Chief Dental Officer for Ministry of Health. 

A large group of Tzu Chi volunteers arrived before noon and started making preparations for the event two hours before its commencement. By 1.30pm, several Tzu Chi volunteers smartly clad in their uniform had formed two neat rows facing each other awaiting for the arrival of the guests-of-honour. Shortly after 2pm, when the guests were all seated, the programme opened with a fine performance of “Great Love Brightens the World” by Tzu Chi’s sign language team.  

In his opening speech, Mr Tan Chin Siong, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, highlighted the important role of the Free Clinic in serving the large population of needy elderly people living in Redhill estate. He described the opening of the free clinic as ‘timely’ in the light of the current recession resulting from the financial crisis in the West. Likening Tzu Chi volunteers to ‘lit candles which illuminate the neighbourhood’, Mr Tan quoted the saying “those who give are more fortunate than those who receive” and stressed the importance of maintaining an altruistic spirit, i.e., giving unconditionally for the sake of the society,
in voluntary work.

The next speaker was the Deputy Representative from the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, Mr Benjamin Ho. Mr Ho commended Tzu Chi for its active promotion of environmental awareness to the public through its highly successful and popular recycling programme in Taiwan and said that this was something that the R.O.C. could share with Singapore. Currently, Tzu Chi Singapore Branch has over 10 recycling stations island-wide where volunteers as well as residents participate in a monthly recycling programme. They collect recyclables and sort them thoroughly before selling them to recycling merchants for further processing. Funds generated through this programme are used to finance Tzu Chi’s charity work.

In his speech, Professor Patrick Tseng, Chief Dental Officer of MOH, commented that it was really heartening to know that the new Tzu Chi Free Clinic is available to foreign workers who receive no subsidy on healthcare. He described Tzu Chi as an exemplary icon in the area of community service and agreed with Tzu Chi’s founder, Master Cheng Yen’s words: “A person with a generous heart and compassion for all being leads the most blessed life.”

The last two speakers were TIMA representative, Doctor Fong Poh Him and Brother David Liu, CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore Branch. Doctor Fong was pleased that TIMA Singapore had grown over the years and emphasized that ‘prevention is better than cure’ in safeguarding people’s health. Whilst conveying Master Cheng Yen’s blessing from Taiwan, Brother Liu said it was indeed fortunate that Tzu Chi Singapore was able to obtain support from grassroots leaders in Singapore in its charity work in aid of the needy. He urged the volunteers to put Master Cheng Yen’s words - “give the best to the poor and sick” into concrete actions while serving the community.

Next, TIMA members consisting of doctors and nurses clad in their distinctive white coats performed “A Tribute to the White Robe” on the stage. “As great love knows no boundaries…… as great love is unconditional……” - the melodious song filled the space and deeply touched the hearts of the audience. Master Cheng Yen often emphasizes that a humane doctor is one who does not merely treat physical illnesses, but one who also cares for the mental and psychological well-being of patients and treats them as if they were their close relations. She hopes that TIMA members will embrace this ideal in their tireless work of healing the sick.

The last concert item was another sign language performance – “Warmth”. The audience clapped to the lively rhythm of the music spontaneously. It was really heartening to see some Muslim residents joining in the fun although they could not understand the Chinese song lyrics. After that, Brother David Liu led the guests-of-honour on a tour of the new premises of the free clinic. They were warmly received by the patients awaiting for health-screening/treatment at the clinic. 

Madam Low Yoke Kwai, aged 72, who lives alone in Block 89, had come to receive dental treatment. She knew about the opening of the free clinic through a branch of the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society located at her block and was relieved to know that she could receive free dental treatment at the clinic as she could hardly afford to have costly dental treatments in private dental clinics.   

Madam Ng Moey Chye, aged 76, has lived in Redhill for over 10 years. She said that she felt very happy that Tzu Chi has opened a free clinic near to her home as she had to walk a long distance to the clinic to see a doctor. She also commented that the volunteers were very polite and caring and she would definitely recommend the free clinic to her friends and neighbours living nearby.  

Madam Rabiyed, an Indian Muslim, came to the clinic with her husband. Both of them are senior citizens. She also found out about the free clinic through Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society and had enjoyed the concert very much even though she could not understand Chinese. Her friend, Madam Fatimah, aged 67, whom she got connected through a morning exercise programme in the neighbourhood, has poor eyesight and her right eye is not functioning. Madam Fatimah said that her children could not give her much financial support as they did not earn much themselves. Hence, the establishment of the free clinic would help to reduce her financial burden.     

A number of elderly patients who came to the clinic specially requested for consultations with traditional Chinese physicians. However, under the regulations of MOH, TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine at the free clinic is only available through referrals from doctors of western medicine. Doctor Kuo Tung Ho, a Chinese physician who was on duty that day, has 15 years of experience in the field. He specialises in the treatment of heart and mental diseases. Doctor Kuo joined a TIMA medical mission in Batam where he treated the local patients with TCM and was pleasantly surprised by the strong response he received. “While on a medical mission, I always feel very thankful to my patients as they have given me an opportunity to give,” said Doctor Kuo with a grateful smile.     

Sister Chew Lai Hoe, a senior nurse who currently works in the A & E Department of Singapore General Hospital, was also on duty at the free clinic that day. In 2001, she passed by Tzu Chi’s old premises at Chinatown where she picked up a magazine and learned about the philosophy underlying Tzu Chi’s Mission of Medicine after reading it. She was deeply impressed then. A year later, she found out more about Tzu Chi’s missions from a Taiwanese doctor working in the same hospital. In particular, the Silent Mentors (donors of cadavers) in Tzu Chi Medical College moved her most deeply. She joined a TIMA medical mission in Batam for the first time in 2003 and was very impressed by how professional Tzu Chi volunteers were in terms of meeting the strict requirements of the medical personnel. She always finds it spiritually fulfilling whenever she joins a TIMA mission.

Sister Chew also mentioned that doctors and nurses usually work in shifts and it is not easy for them to squeeze time in their busy schedules to go on such missions or volunteer at the free clinic. Furthermore, they have to work without much rest from dawn to dusk during such missions. They deserved our admiration and respect indeed.