Dear diary,
Over the few days, a lot of things had happened to me and all these problems were caused because I wanted to get back at my English teacher, Ms Narwin. I wanted to get into the track team, but was refused because I did not pass all the subjects. The only subject that I failed was English. Thus, I hated Ms Narwin for not giving me the passing mark. I did not even think that the cause of me failing English wa my own laziness and I blamed Ms Narwin for that.
I therefore decided to get back at Ms Narwin in class by humming the national anthem when it is played in the morning. I knew that was against the school rules but I did this purposely to fustrate Ms Narwin. Little did I know that what I did had became a big issue and caused great misery to myself and Ms Narwin. When Ms Narwin asked me to stop humming, I felt very frustrated and I told this to my parents. I told them that I am doing this out of patriotism for my country. My parents then told me to do what I think is right.
The next day I did the same thing and was a again scolded by Ms Narwin. I did not stop and continued singing. Ms Narwin was very angry and send me to see the vice-principal. I told the vice-princpal that I was just being patriotic and not a troublemaker as what Ms Narwin had said. I also told him that Ms Narwin was against me and I requested that I have a change of teacher. However, the vice-principal did not agree to my request.
On following day, I did the same thing and was brought to see the vice-principal again. This time, the vice-principal gave me two choices which are either to apologize to Ms Narwin or get suspended from school. I choose to get suspended from school. When my parents knew what had hapened,they were very angry with the school and told this to the reporters. The reporters wrote on this matter with the headline, “Patriotic boy gets suspended from school”. Not long after, a lot of people came to know about this matter.
The public thinks that what Ms Narwin did was wrong and some even asked the school to sack Ms Narwin. This issue causes a lot of troubles for Ms Narwin and the school. Some of my friends said that what I did was on purpose because I don’t like Ms Narwin. Most of my friends started to dislike and avoid me. Life has become very miserable and I decided to change to a new school. However, I was even unhappier in my new school as my new school has no track team and I am exposed for not knowing the national anthem. I truly regretted what I had done but I have only myself to blame for my present predicament.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
HOTA
The Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) provides an opt-out organ donation system that allows for the removal of kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas from Singapore citizens and permanent residents who have died, for the sole purpose of transplantation. Administered by the Ministry of Health (MOH), it also regulates organ donation by living persons. Enacted in 1987, it has since undergone three rounds of major amendments to extend its coverage so that more people can benefit from organ transplants.
History
Before HOTA was implemented, organ donation in Singapore was done only on a voluntary basis under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act, or MTERA in short. The current MTERA was enacted in 1972. It repealed a similar law that was passed by parliament in 1965, as this earlier legislation had been found to be flawed because of its ambiguities and stringent rules.
However, MTERA proved inadequate to meet the transplant needs of patients suffering kidney failure due to the lack of voluntary donations. Only 22 kidney transplants were performed between 1970 and 1978, and there were none between 1979 and 1981. This prompted then Health Minister Goh Chok Tong to suggest setting up an opt-out system of obtaining cadaveric kidneys. After extensive studies and public consultation, the government introduced HOTA in 1987 to allow for the removal of kidneys from non-Muslims who die from accidental causes.
The impact was significant. Between 1987 and mid-2004, 222 patients received kidney transplants under HOTA, an average of 13 per year. Since mid-2004, HOTA has been amended to widen the pool of cadaveric organ donors and thus benefit more people in need of transplants. In 2007 alone, cadaveric organs were used to perform 46 kidney transplants, 12 liver transplants, 4 heart transplants and 106 cornea transplants.
Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2004
(1) Inclusion of deaths resulting from non-accidental causes.
(2) Inclusion of livers, hearts and corneas in cadaveric organ donations.
(3) Regulation of living donor organ transplants.
Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2008
(1) Inclusion of Muslims.
(2) Provision of enforcement powers to give MOH the authority to investigate offences under HOTA.
Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill 2009
(1) Removal of the 60-year upper age limit on cadaveric organ donors.
(2) Allowing donor-recipient paired matching. Put simply, this is a system whereby recipients who have medically incompatible donors exchange their donors so that each recipient receives a suitable organ. The exchange can be carried out across two or more donor-recipient pairs.
(3) Reimbursement of living donors in accordance with international and local ethical practices.
(4) Increased penalties for organ trading syndicates and middlemen.
Description
All Singapore citizens and permanent residents who are at least 21 years old and of sound mind are automatically included under HOTA, unless they opt out. Upon their death, their organs will be removed if the following conditions are met:
- they died in a hospital;
- their organs are suitable for transplant; and
- there are suitable recipients for the organs to be removed.
People who have not opted out of HOTA will have a higher priority on the waiting list should they need an organ transplant.
HOTA covers only kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas, but people may pledge to donate any of their other organs and tissues (e.g., lungs, bones and skin) upon their death, for the purpose of transplantation, education or research under MTERA. The minimum age requirement is 18 years old. Foreigners can also sign up as donors under MTERA.
Besides cadaveric organ donation, HOTA regulates living donor organ transplants. In such cases, HOTA allows for the removal of a kidney or any part of the liver of a living donor for the purpose of transplantation, provided there is written authorisation from the hospital's transplant ethics committee. Following the 2009 amendments, payments may now be made to living donors to reimburse them for the loss of earnings and other costs or expenses, including medical care and insurance protection, incurred as a result of the organ donation. Although the proposed amendments were eventually passed, this issue of reimbursement was the subject of a heated debate in parliament as some Members of Parliament were concerned that it could be a backdoor to organ trading.
History
Before HOTA was implemented, organ donation in Singapore was done only on a voluntary basis under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act, or MTERA in short. The current MTERA was enacted in 1972. It repealed a similar law that was passed by parliament in 1965, as this earlier legislation had been found to be flawed because of its ambiguities and stringent rules.
However, MTERA proved inadequate to meet the transplant needs of patients suffering kidney failure due to the lack of voluntary donations. Only 22 kidney transplants were performed between 1970 and 1978, and there were none between 1979 and 1981. This prompted then Health Minister Goh Chok Tong to suggest setting up an opt-out system of obtaining cadaveric kidneys. After extensive studies and public consultation, the government introduced HOTA in 1987 to allow for the removal of kidneys from non-Muslims who die from accidental causes.
The impact was significant. Between 1987 and mid-2004, 222 patients received kidney transplants under HOTA, an average of 13 per year. Since mid-2004, HOTA has been amended to widen the pool of cadaveric organ donors and thus benefit more people in need of transplants. In 2007 alone, cadaveric organs were used to perform 46 kidney transplants, 12 liver transplants, 4 heart transplants and 106 cornea transplants.
Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2004
(1) Inclusion of deaths resulting from non-accidental causes.
(2) Inclusion of livers, hearts and corneas in cadaveric organ donations.
(3) Regulation of living donor organ transplants.
Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Act 2008
(1) Inclusion of Muslims.
(2) Provision of enforcement powers to give MOH the authority to investigate offences under HOTA.
Key Changes Under the Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Bill 2009
(1) Removal of the 60-year upper age limit on cadaveric organ donors.
(2) Allowing donor-recipient paired matching. Put simply, this is a system whereby recipients who have medically incompatible donors exchange their donors so that each recipient receives a suitable organ. The exchange can be carried out across two or more donor-recipient pairs.
(3) Reimbursement of living donors in accordance with international and local ethical practices.
(4) Increased penalties for organ trading syndicates and middlemen.
Description
All Singapore citizens and permanent residents who are at least 21 years old and of sound mind are automatically included under HOTA, unless they opt out. Upon their death, their organs will be removed if the following conditions are met:
- they died in a hospital;
- their organs are suitable for transplant; and
- there are suitable recipients for the organs to be removed.
People who have not opted out of HOTA will have a higher priority on the waiting list should they need an organ transplant.
HOTA covers only kidneys, livers, hearts and corneas, but people may pledge to donate any of their other organs and tissues (e.g., lungs, bones and skin) upon their death, for the purpose of transplantation, education or research under MTERA. The minimum age requirement is 18 years old. Foreigners can also sign up as donors under MTERA.
Besides cadaveric organ donation, HOTA regulates living donor organ transplants. In such cases, HOTA allows for the removal of a kidney or any part of the liver of a living donor for the purpose of transplantation, provided there is written authorisation from the hospital's transplant ethics committee. Following the 2009 amendments, payments may now be made to living donors to reimburse them for the loss of earnings and other costs or expenses, including medical care and insurance protection, incurred as a result of the organ donation. Although the proposed amendments were eventually passed, this issue of reimbursement was the subject of a heated debate in parliament as some Members of Parliament were concerned that it could be a backdoor to organ trading.
The Village By The Sea Book Review
The Village By The Sea is a novel written by writer Anita Desai.
The Village by the Sea is set in a small village called Thul. Lila, the eldest child among the four siblings, is thirteen years old. Her twelve year old brother Hari is the only person with whom she can share her troubles. Their mother is ill and needs constant care and nursing. She is anaemic and is growing weaker and weaker by the day. Their father who has been out of work for months is a Drunkard, and always shouts at his family when he is drunk.
With two younger sisters to take care of as well as their mother, life for Lila and Hari is not easy at all. Their father is a good for nothing guy who idle every day and drinks toddy. There is a constant need for money as the family is almost always in debt. Hari decides that he has had just about enough and leaves for Bombay.
Lila is left alone to manage her sisters Bela and Kamal, as well as her mother, and somehow keep the family strings together. Help comes from an unexpected source, the rich De Silva's.
Meanwhile, Hari is new in the great city of Bombay, and all alone. A kind watchman at a apartment where the De Silvas live, brings him to a generous restaurant proprietor, Jagu, who takes pity on him and welcomes him to work in his restaurant, Sri Krishna Eating House. There, Hari builds a strong friendship with Mr. Panwallah, the lovable watch repairer whose shop is just beside the eatery. Through his experience with Mr. Panwallah and Jagu and the chain of events that take place in Bombay, Hari realises that he should return to his village with savings and help his family overcome their hardships.
Meanwhile, Lila, Bela and Kamal are forced to admit their sick mother in town hospital through the help of the De Silvas. Their father turns over a new leaf, and accompanies their mother throughout her treatment without drinking and without having any debts. While Hari returns, he returns as a child who is adapted to the changing environment.
The themes in 'The Village by the Sea are:
- Poverty & Wealth
- Change & Adaptation
- Urban & Rural India
- Benefactors
- Family
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
