Healthcare worker abuse, harassment cases nearly double to 4,200 in two years

The rise reflects greater awareness and confidence among healthcare workers to speak up, says the tripartite workgroup behind the findings.

File photo of healthcare workers. (Photo: iStock)

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SINGAPORE: Reports of abuse and harassment against healthcare workers at public institutions nearly doubled from about 2,200 cases in 2023 to 4,200 in 2025, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Wednesday (Sep 30).

The number of cases reported to the police also rose over the same period, from about 350 to 550.

In a report released the same day, the Tripartite Workgroup for the Prevention of Abuse and Harassment of Healthcare Workers said the rise does not in itself suggest that abuse and harassment have become more prevalent.

Instead, it is consistent with greater awareness of what constitutes unacceptable behaviour and greater confidence among healthcare workers to speak up and take action, the workgroup said.

Titled Standing Together: Prevention of Abuse and Harassment in Healthcare in Singapore, the report documents the workgroup's four years of work. It was set up in 2022 amid growing concerns about the safety and well-being of healthcare workers across Singapore, and its term ended on Jun 30.

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