ANOTHER hospital in the east will be developed in about 10 years' time when the cohort of baby boomers will cross into their 70s.

With Pasir Ris, Punggol, Sengkang growing in the next 10 years, Changi GH will not be able to cope with the number of residents in these areas. New hospitas will ease the burden on Changi General Hospital (CGH), whose emergency department is one of the busiest now, possibly because of an overflow of patients from other hospitals, said Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Saturday.

'What we should try to avoid, is another hospital becoming like Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) in five to eight years' time,' he told reporters.TTSH has the busiest emergency department in Singapore.

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.