New fund to help migrant workers hit by critical illnesses

Community scheme to also push for more inclusive insurance coverage for workers

- Shermaine Ang

Migrant workers struck by critical illnesses like cancer and unable to afford life-saving treatment will soon be able to tap a new community fund to defray their medical bills.

The CritiCare Fund for Migrant Workers launched on Dec 6 aims to close the financing gaps for workers who fall ill here, given that their insurance payouts are often insufficient to cover actual treatment costs, said the fund's founders.

Currently, employers of work permit and S Pass holders, including domestic helpers, need to provide their workers medical insurance coverage with an annual claim limit of at least $60,000.

But the mandatory insurance does not cover outpatient treatments such as chemotherapy, or overseas care if the worker is repatriated, said social entrepreneur Anthea Ong, one of the fund's co-founders.

Besides providing financial relief, the fund will advocate more inclusive insurance coverage for migrant workers, said Mr Vincent Ng, the other co-founder of the new fund.

It will do so by collecting data to understand the prevalence of various critical illnesses among low-wage migrant workers, he said at an event at The Foundry, a social impact hub at the site of the former Elections Department building.

For a start, the fund aims to raise $410,000 in 2025 through public donations, foundations and corporate partnerships, so as to support at least 20 migrant workers over two years.