A centre which can add 10 years to the lives of children suffering a fatal muscular disease will be set up next year.
Most children suffering from the genetic disorder, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, die at about 18 because their chest-wall muscles are too weak to allow breathing.
About 70 per cent of all such patients die of respiratory failure and another 12 per cent die of cardiac failure.
Some patients also have scoliosis - problems with their spines - making it even more difficult to breathe.
The six-bed centre at Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital in Sandy Bay plans to provide ventilators and support to such patients.
Hospital consultant in paediatrics Winnie Goh said the hospital would seek $10 million from the Chief Executive's community project fund.