What happened to the Singhs?

Suarno and Pritam, both in their seventies, share a close relationship and rely heavily on each other to get through the day. Suarno has suffered some complications from her cataract surgery in 2021 and requires monthly eye injections. She is also hard of hearing and has some trouble walking steadily and requires assistance getting to her medical appointments. Pritam also struggles with mobility, ever since his right foot was amputated due to gangrene in 2019.

Medical fees have piled up for the retired couple, especially since they have been unsuccessful in their appeals for Pritam to attain Permanent Residency here in Singapore. His LTVP status means ineligibility for most subsidies and which also significantly increased the couple’s financial troubles. With both of them having mobility challenges, Suarno hopes to get a wheelchair to aid her in getting to her medical appointments safely.

How can you help?

Give towards Suarno’s wheelchair ($365.60) and help cover their monthly medical deficit ($220) for the next 6 months, while the couple is referred for help from the Family Service Centre and Social Service Office for longer-term sustainable support.

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Suarno, 74, worked as a nurse for 30 years before retiring 10 years ago. Having been married for almost 50 years, she was happy to support her family with her earnings and was hopeful that with time, Pritam would be able to get his PR status in Singapore. However, despite their best efforts, they have been unsuccessful and he has been extending his LTVP here in Singapore every 5 years. As the years pass, it has gotten harder to make ends meet. With age, both their medical needs accumulate and her savings have become insufficient to cover their necessities.

Thankfully, the couple gets some aid from the Sikh Welfare Council and Suarno is eligible for some assistance from the Agency for Integrated Care. Her Silver Support Scheme draw down every quarterly is also stretched, to make every dollar count. Nevertheless, the combined financial aid works out to be just $900 a month. When asked about their plans, Suarno shrugs, saying, “We can only rely on each other.”

Apart from funding a wheelchair to aid Suarno in getting to her medical appointments, this Ray of Hope Campaign seeks to enable the couple to cover their monthly medical expenses while they are referred to social agencies for further assistance.