According to Mr Ho, the Dr Kart team currently has three doctors and two pharmacists, and the kiosks are currently manned by doctors “most times”.
“As sometimes doctors cannot take the shift, there will be at the minimum a pharmacist to take the duty. It is our aim to be fully manned by doctors,” he said, adding that they plan to hire more doctors to fill all the shifts with one available around the clock.
Ms Charmaine Chung, who came to check out the machine while her husband was filling petrol, said she was unlikely to use the kiosk even though she lived nearby.
“You can do teleconsult right? We did that before, we would definitely opt for that,” she said, gesturing at her son who was with her.
“Because you’re already so sick, then you still have to get out of bed and come all the way here,” she told CNA, adding that she would rather drive to a 24-hour clinic if she had to make a trip anyway.
“I thought it was something new, interesting,” said Ms Chung, impressed that the kiosk dispenses medication on the spot.
After hearing that doctors were not available all the time and that this reporter was unable to obtain an MC, the 47-year-old added that she might make use of the on-demand medicine dispensary if it was just below her block.
The kiosk at the Shell station in Tampines is located opposite a Housing and Development Board estate, and those residents might be able to make use of it, she said.
But it might take time for people to learn how to use the kiosk, especially older patients, said Ms Chung.
“My priority would be to go to the clinic. But if my son is really very sick and can’t get out of bed, and we don’t have any medicine, then I would opt for teleconsult,” she added, acknowledging that she would have to wait for the medicine to be delivered.
