Hiking A&E fees won’t help reduce the crowds at public hospitals

I agree with your correspondents who argued that the proposed fee hike at accident and emergency (A&E) departments in public hospitals will not be effective in reducing the crowds.

The overcrowding seen at our A&E units in public hospitals is mainly because of misuse of the service.

When the elderly fall ill, they will first rush to the A&E unit at a public hospital, as they cannot tell whether their symptoms warrant serious attention by the doctors or not.

Similarly, parents also tend to bring their children to these
A& E units when they fall sick, especially during the weekends, when the clinics of private doctors are closed.

In fact, a lot of times, the colds or flus are just minor and can be treated by simple remedies at home, such as by taking a nap or a hot shower to alleviate the symptoms.

Thus, I think that our government should publish a booklet to educate citizens on what is considered an emergency, and what is not; and when to seek help in the public hospitals.