By Ng Wan Ching

THEY'RE young, but they are ready to confront issues related to dying, opting for a 'good death', as Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan describes it.

About 150 people aged between 20 and 29 have declared that they want to be allowed to die naturally.

They have signed an advance medical directive (AMD) and do not want to be sustained artificially should they become terminally ill and unconscious.

Going by age groups, the largest number of people who have signed - more than 2,700 - are between 50 and 59.

That's followed by the 60 to 69 age group - in which 2,400 have signed up.

As of last month, almost 10,000 people have stated their wishes in a living will.

Women seemed to be more proactive than men - 6,155 of them have signed up. Only 3,780 men have done so.

The AMD came into effect in 1997, and the take-up rate has picked up in the last three years.

There were 1,328 signing in 2005, 2,158 in 2006, and 2,761 last year.

So far, five living wills have been effected - one each in 2003, 2005, 2006, and two last year. The Ministry of Health (MOH) hopes to get more people to sign living wills.

Mr Khaw, who signed one a few years ago, said: 'I believe in it.

'Medical technology can now postpone death artificially without any quality of life. Without such artificial intervention, death would have taken its natural course.'

To him, the AMD is to enable nature to take its course.

Care, not cure

'This way, the care providers can focus on care, rather than futile efforts to 'cure', at great pain, discomfort and stress to the patient and the family,' he said in response to questions from The New Paper.

For the terminally ill, with impending death, an appropriate care plan based on the AMD is more likely to deliver a 'good death'.

He admitted it took some work to sign a living will.

'I took a form, filled it up, got a doctor and a friend to witness it and sent it to MOH,' he said.

'It took some effort and I can understand why few do so. I personally feel that we should simplify the process, to help reduce the inertia.'

Over family dinners, he often discusses life and death issues.

'I bring back to the dinner table, actual human stories of patients in our hospitals and their plight.'

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