Channel News Asia (CNA) ran a series based on instant noodles. Each week, it zoomed in on the instant noodles 'culture' in different country in Asia. I caught some of the episodes featuring Thailand, Japan, Korea and Singapore. Missed the one on Hong Kong.
The common feature is that in most countries, it started off as providing affordable food for the masses. In fact in Japan and Korea, it was food for many during the years after the second World War. Later on it become part of the food culture of that country, blending in with the local test. So in Korea, their instant noodles are mostly spicy with kimchi favour.
It is an interesting program as there are so many 'nuance' regarding instant noodles in order to capture the taste of the targeted market. Besides flavour, another important factor is the noddles' texture - how chewy it is. In some countries, the folks prefer them chewy, in others, they like it more 'soft'.
In recent years, instant noodles have gone 'upmarket' as they are sold in eatery and even restaurants. It is a surprise even to owners of eateries that the instant noodles item on their menu sells like hot cake. Profit margin is handsome.
I learned that Singapore has our unique instant noodles flavour which is not available in other countries. It is the Laksa Singapura Flavour under Koka brand. Seems Koka made a number of break throughs as they spent heavily on research. For example, Koka noodles need only 2 minutes cooking instead of the conventional 3 minutes required. Then their noodles do not use MSG - which is great and not easy to achieve. To make healthier noodles (without MSG, oil..) is hard as the taste must not be compromised.
I enjoy instant noodles as they are easy to cook. So far my experience with instant noodles is that they don't taste like
the real thing. Mushroom flavour has no mushroom taste, chicken flavour
taste similar to the mushroom ones, prawn ones...etc. The differences I find between different brand of noodles are the texture and cooking time. I switched between a few brands, but have never tried Koka before. So after watching the program on CNA, I went out to buy their Laksa flavour.
What a surprise, it really taste like LAKSA !
I think I will stick with Koka in the future. I will be getting their other flavours to see if they taste distinctly different from one another. They boost of some other other unique noodles which are healthier and make from ingredients which other brands don't carry.
So if you enjoy instant noodles, support local brand and go for Koka to satisfy your taste bud.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Patients' woes due to overloaded Hospitals
Our hospitals are so over loaded that to get a doctor appointment, the normal waiting time is 3 months. If we get get to see a doctor within 2 months - it is consider 'urgent' case and doctor make special arrangement to 'squeeze' you in the schedule.
Then, diagnosis can take months and we will be send for numerous tests. If the tests turn out normal, another 2 to 3 months waiting time, more tests....the cycle repeats itself. No treatment given as the doctor still don't know what is wrong with us.
So by the time the hospital found out what is wrong with us, our sickness will have deteriorate drastically or near terminal stage. All the money and time wasted just to end up seriously or terminally ill.
In S'pore - better to eat and enjoy before dying rather than waste so much money and being frustrated in the hospital before coming to the same end.
Of course if one can afford private healthcare and pay a premium, being 'sick' can be 'smoother' ride. Average S'poreans who cannot pay up have to depend on 'subsidy' - it is a long journey of wait..wait and wait be it for consultation or treatment in hospitals.
Then, diagnosis can take months and we will be send for numerous tests. If the tests turn out normal, another 2 to 3 months waiting time, more tests....the cycle repeats itself. No treatment given as the doctor still don't know what is wrong with us.
So by the time the hospital found out what is wrong with us, our sickness will have deteriorate drastically or near terminal stage. All the money and time wasted just to end up seriously or terminally ill.
In S'pore - better to eat and enjoy before dying rather than waste so much money and being frustrated in the hospital before coming to the same end.
Of course if one can afford private healthcare and pay a premium, being 'sick' can be 'smoother' ride. Average S'poreans who cannot pay up have to depend on 'subsidy' - it is a long journey of wait..wait and wait be it for consultation or treatment in hospitals.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Waiting time at Polyclinic vs Hospital
Looks like though Polyclinic is more overloaded with patients than hospital, they are better managed as far as consultation waiting time is concerned.
Polyclinic - without appointment, the waiting time is about 1 to 3 hours. With appointment, it is around 20 to 45 minutes.
Hospital (eg. CGH, SNEC) - even with appointment, the waiting time is 1 to 2 hours. Those without appointment normally goes under 'emergency' cases, which I understand has l-o-n-g waiting time too, besides footing a heavy bill.
So if it is not a matter of life and death, might as well consult a doctor in the polyclinic if one does not have prior appointment, since the waiting time in hospital emergency ward is equally daunting.
As for prior medical appointment in hospital, it is time they do a review of their time management since it is very unproductive for patients to be kept waiting for hours well past their appointment time.
If the govt is serious about improving productivity, Ministry of Health should tell all the hospitals to stop wasting so many man-hours of patients' time - waiting and waiting to see their doctors. It defeats the whole purpose of giving the patient an appointment time if it is so badly managed.
Polyclinic - without appointment, the waiting time is about 1 to 3 hours. With appointment, it is around 20 to 45 minutes.
Hospital (eg. CGH, SNEC) - even with appointment, the waiting time is 1 to 2 hours. Those without appointment normally goes under 'emergency' cases, which I understand has l-o-n-g waiting time too, besides footing a heavy bill.
So if it is not a matter of life and death, might as well consult a doctor in the polyclinic if one does not have prior appointment, since the waiting time in hospital emergency ward is equally daunting.
As for prior medical appointment in hospital, it is time they do a review of their time management since it is very unproductive for patients to be kept waiting for hours well past their appointment time.
If the govt is serious about improving productivity, Ministry of Health should tell all the hospitals to stop wasting so many man-hours of patients' time - waiting and waiting to see their doctors. It defeats the whole purpose of giving the patient an appointment time if it is so badly managed.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Tests done in Polyclinic vs Hospital
Cost of investigation tests relating to blood and urine varies substantially when done in Polyclinic vs CGH (even with subsidy). The main thing to note is that both Polyclinic and CGH use the same testing laboratory, which is SGH.
In Polyclinic, doing a full blood count, thyroid panel, renal panel plus another 3 items cost only $12.50 in total for 6 investigating tests.
CGH charges would be : full blood count $3.13, thyroid panel $32 and renal panel $13.57 totaling $48.70 just for 3 tests. This is almost 300% more than Polyclinic ! And remember, they send to the same testing laboratory in SGH.
These are common investigation tests. For those not common ones, CGH charges are very high. For example, Myeloma panel test even with subsidy cost nearly $100. Without subsidy it is close to $500.
I started off consulting Polyclinic for my leg numbness. After a few consultation and some tests, they send me to CGH specialist. Now after 2 rounds of consultations and numerous tests (MRI, nerve conduction, blood & urine) at CGH, costing more than $600 - I am no closer to knowing the cause of my problem. Nothing is done to relieve my numbness - it is just one test after another with each consultation.
Healthcare is very expensive in S'pore even with subsidy. We have to come out cash for our healthcare expenses to meet chronic health care needs as we aged. We have no access to our own saving in CPF medisave account, which is for medical needs. Only the govt can use our CPF money as they like for investment and loan out to other govt statutory boards. They have an iron grip on money that do NOT belong to them. Uniquely Singapore indeed as we the citizens have no access to our own money in CPF.
In Polyclinic, doing a full blood count, thyroid panel, renal panel plus another 3 items cost only $12.50 in total for 6 investigating tests.
CGH charges would be : full blood count $3.13, thyroid panel $32 and renal panel $13.57 totaling $48.70 just for 3 tests. This is almost 300% more than Polyclinic ! And remember, they send to the same testing laboratory in SGH.
These are common investigation tests. For those not common ones, CGH charges are very high. For example, Myeloma panel test even with subsidy cost nearly $100. Without subsidy it is close to $500.
I started off consulting Polyclinic for my leg numbness. After a few consultation and some tests, they send me to CGH specialist. Now after 2 rounds of consultations and numerous tests (MRI, nerve conduction, blood & urine) at CGH, costing more than $600 - I am no closer to knowing the cause of my problem. Nothing is done to relieve my numbness - it is just one test after another with each consultation.
Healthcare is very expensive in S'pore even with subsidy. We have to come out cash for our healthcare expenses to meet chronic health care needs as we aged. We have no access to our own saving in CPF medisave account, which is for medical needs. Only the govt can use our CPF money as they like for investment and loan out to other govt statutory boards. They have an iron grip on money that do NOT belong to them. Uniquely Singapore indeed as we the citizens have no access to our own money in CPF.
Walk The Talk for goodness sake
Those PAP ministers, MPs and their academic supporters should come down from their ivory towers to experience ground reality. It is sickening to hear them spouting illogical reasons in support of the population white paper of having 6.9 million. The latest idiot to throw his support behind the white paper is Professor Ng Yew Kwang. Any layman has more common sense than this Prof Ng - typical permanent head damage guy going by his reasons why we should have 6.9 million.
They should learn from CEO of Taiwan's High Speed Reail Corp, Dr Ou Chin-der. Dr Ou walks the talk, unlike our PAP men and their academic supporters living in their airy castles.
Dr Ou's philosophy is : You must work with the people, you don't just give instructions. People need to know the reason and when they know, you get consensus. Dr Ou is a firm believer in 'management by walkabout'. Instead of 'I am watching you' he motivates his staff by letting them know 'I am working with you'.
As a CEO, he is very much in touch with the ground as he has the habit of always boarding a train (his company's) at the first carriage, so that he can walk down the entire train for an inspection. He boards the train from Taipei and visit all the stations down the line to Kaoshsiung.
Dr Ou was involved in the construction of S'pore Changi Airport and Marina Centre district. Dr Ou has a reputation for crisis management for Taiwan's infrastructure problems. Since PAP loves foreign talent, we should get Dr Ou to head SMRT. Getting an expert with relevant experience is definitely better than our current SMRT CEO who is an ex-army chap. No wonder our MRT woes are getting from bad to worst.
PAP could also consider Dr Ou as a candidate to replace our PM (another ex-army chap). We need leadership like his to get S'pore out of the rot created by PM and his PAP gang over the last decade.
They should learn from CEO of Taiwan's High Speed Reail Corp, Dr Ou Chin-der. Dr Ou walks the talk, unlike our PAP men and their academic supporters living in their airy castles.
Dr Ou's philosophy is : You must work with the people, you don't just give instructions. People need to know the reason and when they know, you get consensus. Dr Ou is a firm believer in 'management by walkabout'. Instead of 'I am watching you' he motivates his staff by letting them know 'I am working with you'.
As a CEO, he is very much in touch with the ground as he has the habit of always boarding a train (his company's) at the first carriage, so that he can walk down the entire train for an inspection. He boards the train from Taipei and visit all the stations down the line to Kaoshsiung.
Dr Ou was involved in the construction of S'pore Changi Airport and Marina Centre district. Dr Ou has a reputation for crisis management for Taiwan's infrastructure problems. Since PAP loves foreign talent, we should get Dr Ou to head SMRT. Getting an expert with relevant experience is definitely better than our current SMRT CEO who is an ex-army chap. No wonder our MRT woes are getting from bad to worst.
PAP could also consider Dr Ou as a candidate to replace our PM (another ex-army chap). We need leadership like his to get S'pore out of the rot created by PM and his PAP gang over the last decade.
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