Gan Kim Yong
Singapore
“Consumer complaints relating to the secondary resale market for tickets to major events and concerts have generally remained low. Nonetheless, to protect the public from scams on secondary ticket resale platforms, the Police have imposed Code of Practice requirements under the Online Criminal Harms Act to require designated online service…”
“Singapore does not condone the use of forced labour. We criminalise forced labour in Singapore under various laws. Relevant Government Ministries and agencies, such as the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Home Affairs and Singapore Police Force, play their part in investigating complaints of suspected breaches in domestic laws that relat…”
“The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) discontinued the PayNow nickname feature as scammers had been exploiting the use of nicknames to impersonate legitimate entities and trusted individuals.”
“As of end-2025, around 6,900 private residential buildings have registered their solar installations with SP Group for the export of excess solar-generated electricity to the grid. The installed solar capacity of these residential buildings is 115.3 megawatt-peak (MWp), or around 5.5% of all current installed solar capacity in Singapore.”
“The one-year pilot extension of liquor trading hours has seen strong interest from businesses. As of 31 May 2026, the Police have approved 88 applications for the extension of liquor trading hours from public entertainment outlets in these areas.”
“The Government does not make projections of domestic or regional demand for renewable diesel or sustainable aviation fuel. Demand depends on commercial considerations, evolving market conditions and regulatory developments across different jurisdictions.”
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“Mental health conditions are often multifactorial and it is often not possible to isolate a single cause. As such, we are not able to provide data on the percentage of healthcare workers who suffer from mental health conditions specifically due to increased workload from the COVID-19 outbreak. Nevertheless, our public healthcare institutions will actively reach out to staff who have expressed concerns regarding their mental well-being and provide support to help them cope with stress and burnout from increased workload. Our public healthcare institutions provide staff with counselling services, staff helplines, and peer support programmes. To help staff cope with stressful situations, some institutions have also rolled out bite-sized training modules on stress management and regularly shared mental health tips with their staff. The Ministry will continue to work closely with our public healthcare institutions to monitor and introduce timely measures to enhance staff well-being.”
“There were 4,029 abortions performed on Singaporean women between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020, with breakdown of numbers by month appended in Table 1.”
“MOH has no plans to license Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatment for autism as it has not been proven to be clinically effective. MOH does not recommend parents and caregivers to adopt CAM as a replacement for mainstream evidence based treatment for their children with autism. Healthcare professionals caring for children with autism should also advise parents and caregivers about relevant, safe and effective health services and therapies. While CAM services are allowed as they are for health support and general well-being, and generally of low risk to patient safety, the Medicines (Advertisement and Sale) Act (MASA) prohibits advertisements by CAM practitioners referring to any skill or service relating to the medical treatment of any condition, including autism, to protect consumers from misleading claims. The Ministry will not hesitate to take action against those who breach the law. If the public is aware of CAM providers making egregious claims, they may lodge a complaint through the MOH hotline or website.”
“Lastly, for seniors who encounter severe disability, MediSave Care was introduced on 1 October 2020 and allows cash withdrawals of up to $200 per month to be made from their own or their spouse’s MediSave account to pay for varying types of long-term care expenses. We will continue to review our healthcare financing schemes regularly to ensure that they remain relevant and adequate for Singaporeans’ needs.”
“MediSave withdrawal limits are set to keep basic subsidised healthcare affordable for all Singaporeans, after taking into account government subsidies and MediShield Life payouts where applicable. They are also intended to strike a balance between helping Singaporeans afford the co-payment for their current treatments and ensuring that they have sufficient savings for future healthcare needs. We recognise that seniors tend to have higher healthcare expenses, especially if they have chronic conditions. We have expanded the use of MediSave over the years to better support them. This includes raising the annual withdrawal limit for the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) from $400 to $500 in 2018 to enhance affordability for chronic disease patients, and more recently, raising the limit to $700 from 1 January 2021 for those with complex chronic conditions. This is on top of additional subsidies for chronic conditions for our Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation seniors at Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) clinics. Fewer than 2 in 10 seniors reached the $500 annual limit under the CDMP in 2019, and the raised $700 withdrawal limit will cover the annual bills of more patients with chronic conditions. On top of this, seniors may tap on the Flexi-MediSave scheme to pay for their outpatient expenses at public sector Specialist Outpatient Clinics, Polyclinics and CHAS clinics. We also lowered the age limit for Flexi-MediSave from 65 to 60 in 2018, to allow younger seniors to benefit. In 2019, fewer than 2 in 10 seniors eligible to use Flexi-MediSave reached the $200 annual limit.”
“All vaccines approved for use in Singapore have met high safety and efficacy standards. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have both demonstrated a similarly high level of vaccine efficacy and have safety profiles consistent with that of other established and registered vaccines used in immunisation against other diseases. The Health Sciences Authority and the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination had approved and endorsed both vaccines for use in Singapore. Both vaccines have also been widely used in other countries, such as the US, Canada and the UK. We encourage all Singaporeans and long-term residents who are medically eligible to come forward for vaccination when your turn comes, so that as a society, we can keep each other safe from the disease.”
“All public acute hospitals are required to provide emergency services, including relevant diagnostic tests such as laboratory and radiological tests round the clock, including weekends and public holidays. These tests are operated by healthcare professionals on duty. All public hospitals also have designated X-ray machines and CT scans at the Emergency Department (ED). Ultrasound machines are also available and can be used by the ED doctor when necessary. The appropriate diagnostic tests will form part of the care assessment by the attending hospital doctor when the patient presents with their medical condition. MOH will continue to work with public hospitals to ensure that patients have timely access to diagnostic services.”
“Based on available data from 2008 to 2020, the 25th percentile of cycles undergone by a woman before achieving a successful live birth delivery1 from in-vitro fertilisation is one cycle. The 50th and 75th percentile of cycles is two cycles.”
“To enhance the affordability and accessibility of recommended vaccinations in the National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS), subsidies have been made available for eligible target groups at all Community Health Assist Scheme General Practitioner (CHAS GP) clinics and polyclinics since 1 November 2020. As it has only been three months since the introduction of the subsidies for NAIS, the take-up rates at this point may not fully reflect the impact of the subsidies. Nonetheless, we are encouraged by the initial response. As of end-December 2020, based on information from subsidy claims, more than 80,000 NAIS vaccinations have been administered across more than 800 CHAS GP clinics and 20 polyclinics. As subsidies were only recently introduced, we are not able to compare this take-up rate with historical trends. Going forward, MOH will monitor the trends in the take-up of the NAIS vaccinations. To further improve the take-up rate of nationally recommended vaccinations further, HPB recently launched a public education campaign to increase the awareness of the importance and safety of vaccination, and to encourage eligible individuals to get vaccinated. MOH will continue to monitor the progress and explore the opportunities for public education and outreach programmes.”
“In addition, given that social and health needs are closely intertwined, having strong community support is key to ensuring that seniors can enjoy good health in their old age. Hence from May this year, we will be rolling out a new eldercare service model. Eldercare centres will serve as key touchpoints for all seniors in their community, providing services such as Active Ageing Programmes, and befriending/ buddying services for seniors at risk of social isolation. For those who develop chronic conditions, we have put in place measures to support them in managing their conditions and delay disease progression. This will further help to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare consumption. Under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) and Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP), we provide subsidies and MediSave coverage for approved chronic conditions to defray the cost of care and encourage Singaporeans to seek regular follow-up with their primary care provider. A critical factor is patients’ ability to take charge of their health. We worked with patients and families to develop the Patient Empowerment for Self-care Framework under the War on Diabetes, including the National Diabetes Reference Materials, to empower patients to co-own their care journey, with the support of their care team and family and friends. We will continually innovate to better support patients. The Government remains committed to keeping Singapore and Singaporeans in good health. All of us have to play our part to lead healthy lifestyles, go for regular health screening as well as receive nationally recommended vaccinations, and exercise responsibility.”
“These programmes are tailored specifically to seniors’ health needs such as exercises focusing on improving their strength, balance and flexibility. In the workplace setting, HPB also has customised health programmes for sectors with a greater proportion of older workers, including the healthcare, retail, food and beverage, education, cleaning, security, transport and logistics sectors. Programmes such as 'Health in Heartlands' in the malls and 'Health Chats @ Hawker Centres', are designed with the workers’ schedules in mind, so that they can attend health coaching sessions during the lull periods of their work hours. Since 2014, 94,000 mature workers across the seven priority sectors have benefitted from these programmes. Seniors have also shared that social interaction and relationships form an important part of their preferred group activities. To address this need, all our Active Ageing Programmes are designed to promote social interaction. For instance, HPB introduced the Silver Challenge as part of the 5th season of the National Steps Challenge™, which is our first nation-wide physical activity movement where participants can earn rewards with increased physical activity levels. The first season of the Silver Challenge attracted 174,000 participants, which is more than a ten-fold increase of seniors reached through National Steps Challenge™ compared to Season 1. In aggregate, the National Steps Challenge™ has seen a total of 1.7 million participants across all five seasons and the movement has habituated participants to take more steps during pre-challenge periods, from 4,512 steps in Season 1 to 7,596 steps in Season 5.”
“We have seen a rise in screening rate for common chronic conditions from 45% in 2010 to 66% in 2019. For seniors, we launched Project Silver Screen, a Public-Private Partnership with business and community, which provides community-based functional screening for Singaporeans aged 60 and above to pick up common age-related decline in vision, hearing, and oral health as well as to provide them with appropriate follow-up interventions, such as treatments and assistive devices. Apart from screening, we have a comprehensive vaccination programme for adults and children. Last November, we enhanced subsidies for vaccinations recommended under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule (NCIS) and National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS), with these subsidies now available at polyclinics and CHAS GP clinics nationwide. This will support Singaporeans in protecting themselves and loved ones from vaccine-preventable diseases. We regularly refine our health promotion efforts based on ground feedback and focus group discussions. Seniors have shared that health is one of their top three priorities and they want to remain healthy so as to continue living independently. However, some seniors have also shared that they were not aware of the opportunities or knowledge to remain healthy. To this end, we have adopted a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, working with various organisations including the Health Promotion Board (HPB), Sport Singapore (SportSG), People’s Association (PA), healthcare clusters and community partners to offer a range of active ageing programmes. For example, HPB’s active ageing programmes comprise of group exercises and interactive health workshops, which are readily accessible in the community.”
“On average over the last five years, close to 30% of the increase in healthcare expenditure on medical services is due to population ageing and growth. We do not have data on the extent to which this increase can be attributed to poor health in a senior’s golden years due to unhealthy lifestyle habits. As we seek to mitigate medical cost pressures that come with ageing, we recognise that healthy ageing should be viewed as a part of a broader population health strategy. This is because the health of seniors is heavily influenced by the cumulative effect of socio-economic, biological, and environmental influences when they were young. We have therefore adopted a comprehensive life-course approach that places great emphasis on preventive health, health promotion and disease management for all Singaporeans across all life stages and settings to cater to the evolving needs of the individual. We have comprehensive preventive health programmes from young to old. This starts with Childhood Developmental Screening from birth, to regular screening for school-going children. For example, Singapore’s School Health Services has extensive educational programmes to promote healthy lifestyle activities. The School Health Service also conducts regular check-ups and immunisation for students. For adults, we encourage Singaporeans aged 40 and above to go for regular recommended health screenings and follow up. We have provided heavy subsidies for ‘Screen for Life’, our national screening programme. Under this programme, both the health screening and the first follow-up consultation if required are effectively free or cost no more than $5 per visit. This encourages early detection and timely intervention for chronic conditions.”
“The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has to date not received any applications for over-the-counter (OTC) self-administered COVID-19 diagnostic test kits to be registered and brought into Singapore. Any supplier who wishes to provide such test kits may apply to HSA. Nonetheless, HSA has given provisional approval to Antigen Rapid Test kits which use the same technology but are meant to be administered by trained personnel. At present, we have sufficient overall testing capacity to meet our public health needs. Anyone who wishes to be tested can also do so, at the Ministry of Health (MOH)’s list of approved GP clinics that offer such testing. There are no restrictions and no waiting lists. MOH will continue to monitor and evaluate new testing and sampling methods, and will approve new technologies that are safe, effective and which fulfil our testing needs.”
“Similarly, NCSS also offers support for in-service professionals to acquire recognised post-graduate psychology qualifications though the VWOs-Charities Capability Fund (VCF).”
“Locally, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and James Cook University (JCU) Singapore offers Master’s programmes in Clinical Psychology. In the past three years (2018 to 2020), both schools took in a combined average of 27 students per year. There are also overseas programmes recognised by employers. As of September 2020, there were 504 psychologists registered with the Singapore Psychology Society1. Within the public healthcare sector, the total number of psychologists and clinical psychologists increased by four percent annually, from about 160 in 2016 to about 190 in 2020, as a result of ongoing efforts to expand psychiatric and counselling services. The Government, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, is also reviewing the national supply plans for psychologists. There are various schemes available that provide financial support for students pursuing local and overseas studies in clinical psychology. MOH Holdings offers the Healthcare Graduate Studies Award (HGSA) which covers tuition and other compulsory fees, monthly allowances and approved developmental courses. The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) also offers scholarships and awards for psychologists joining the social service sector. Students in the NUS Master of Psychology (Clinical) Programmes could tap on their Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) to pay for the programme fees. They can also apply for the NUS-Mental Health Counsellor Scholarship, which was newly introduced in 2020. In addition, in-service psychologists working in the public healthcare sector can apply for MOH In-service Scholarship (ISS) to take up a Master’s programme in Clinical Psychology.”
“MOH regularly monitors and reviews primary care dental capacity provided by private CHAS dental clinics and public polyclinics, both of which provide subsidised non-emergency dental services. There are currently over 800 CHAS dental clinics. Residents can also look forward to dental services in the upcoming Polyclinics such as Eunos Polyclinic that is scheduled to open in 2021. We will continue to monitor and meet the dental care needs of Singaporeans at the appropriate settings.”
“The median waiting time for new dental appointments for non-emergency dental services (such as scaling and polishing) at our polyclinics in 2018 and 2019 was around four months. This increased to 5.3 months in 2020, arising from the need for additional safe management measures. Emergency dental cases (such as pain, swelling) at the polyclinics will be seen on the same day. Emergency dental cases which cannot be managed at the polyclinics will be referred to the National Dental Specialty Centres [National Dental Centre, Singapore (NDCS) and National University Centre for Oral Health (NUCOHS)] where they will also be seen on the same day. As Singapore re-opens following the Circuit Breaker, dental capacity at the polyclinics is gradually returning closer to normal, but there are safe management measures that still need to be in place. In Phase 3, dental clinics are still required to maintain safe management measures including seeing patients by appointment basis, instituting crowd management measures, and putting in place infection prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of cross infection. Some of the earlier measures, such as having a 15 to 45-minute resting interval between patients, have been relaxed. The polyclinics will continue to prioritise urgent/emergency and time-sensitive cases, including patients whose dental care were deferred in 2020. MOH would like to seek patients’ understanding during this exceptional period. Pioneer Generation (PG), Merdeka Generation (MG), as well as Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Blue and Orange card holders now enjoy subsidies for dental services for selected non-emergency procedures at private CHAS dental clinics.”
“Patient navigators are staff who help patients steer through the healthcare system or find appropriate care options. Depending on the institution, they may also be referred to as care coordinators, case managers, service associates, or programme coordinators. In some instances, such work may also be undertaken directly by trained nurses. As at end 2020, there were around 360 staff with patient navigation roles, including trained nurses, across public acute hospitals and specialty centres on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis. Care coordination is one of the key domains under the Skills Framework for Healthcare (SFH) for nurses. This equips nurses with patient navigation skills to help coordinate healthcare staff to work collaboratively to deliver quality care to our patients. For example, the Community Nursing Pilot project led by our Regional Health Systems has developed the competencies and capacity of community nurses to support the healthcare needs of seniors in the community. As of end 2020, there were 124 community nurses under this pilot project. As patient navigation can be performed by a combination of healthcare staff trained in care coordination, the ratios of staff to patients are determined by the respective institutions based on their workload and patients’ needs. Based on data from public acute hospitals and specialty centres, the number of staff with patient navigation roles has increased by three percent annually over the past three years (2018 to 2020).”
“The inpatient claims process at our public healthcare institutions have been integrated and streamlined for both MediShield Life (MSHL) and Integrated Shield Plans (IPs). Claims are submitted directly by public healthcare institutions (PHIs) through the MediClaim system, without the need for the patient to file any claims. In the outpatient settings, IPs may provide additional coverage beyond MSHL such as pre- and post-hospitalisation benefits, and the exact coverage may differ across insurers. These claims are filed directly by patients with their insurers and may require the submission of supporting documents such as referral letters. Once the claims are filed, public healthcare institutions or patients are reimbursed directly by the Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB), or by IP insurers for patients with IP coverage. MOH and the CPFB work closely with the insurers and public healthcare institutions in resolving any claims filing and reimbursement issues, especially for appeals or complex cases. We also ensure that insurers are informed about any changes to claim processes. We will continue to partner all stakeholders to explore opportunities to further streamline the claim processes, especially where there are referrals across institutions as part of clinical protocol and routine treatment requirements.”
“The support is reviewed annually for each beneficiary, to factor in changes in their clinical condition and financial situation. The RDF Committee has approved six medicines for four conditions to be supported by the RDF, benefiting six patients. The RDF represents an important plank of community support for Singaporeans with rare diseases who require substantial financial assistance. The RDF Committee will do their best to raise more funds and the Government remains committed to a 3:1 matching so that more can benefit from the RDF.”
“Often diagnosed in childhood, most rare diseases are genetic in origin. Many rare diseases (defined as less than 1 in 2000 people) do not have available treatment and patients often have shorter lifespans as a result. For some rare diseases where effective treatments are available, medicines can substantially extend their life expectancies and improve their quality of life. The Rare Disease Fund (RDF) is a charity established in 2019 to support Singapore Citizens suffering from rare genetic diseases, where medication is often very costly and required for life. Through the RDF, society and the Government collectively support the financial needs of Singapore Citizens with rare diseases. All donations to the RDF are eligible for a 250% tax deduction, and the Government provides $3 in matching contributions for every dollar of public donations toward the RDF. The RDF is operated largely on an endowment basis, where investment income generated is used to support patients, as a more sustainable means to support beneficiaries over their lifetime. Singaporeans undergoing treatment at public healthcare institutions for rare disease conditions covered by RDF can apply for support through the medical social workers. Each RDF application is carefully assessed by an independent RDF Committee, comprising members with diverse backgrounds from the community sector, private corporations, and healthcare. The Committee takes into account various factors such as whether the patient is clinically eligible and likely to benefit from the treatment, their family’s ability to afford the treatment either in part or in whole, including any extenuating circumstances faced by the patient and family, and whether other financing support is available.”
“As part of the Community Mental Health Masterplan, Police had worked with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to increase officers’ awareness of mental health conditions and help them to identify and respond to persons observed with potential indications of mental health issues. Apart from training, officers are also guided by a set of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when dealing with persons with possible mental health issues. The SOPs provide a general guide for officers in recognising possible signs of mental health issues, as well as recommendations on how to interact with such persons. MOH currently has no plans to amend the MHCTA in light of Singapore’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), as the legislation is already in compliance with the requirements of Article 14 of the CRPD. Persons detained under MHCTA are treated with respect and accorded the same standard of care as other patients. Patients and family members can give feedback to IMH should they have any concern with regard to its IMH services.”
“The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act (MHCTA) provides for the State to detain persons with or suspected of having mental health conditions, and who may be a risk to self or pose a danger to others, in a designated psychiatric institution for psychiatric assessment and treatment. Depending on the person’s mental state, the person could be detained initially for up to 72 hours. Subsequently, and upon further review, the person may be detained for a further period, up to a maximum of 12 months, if assessed to be necessary. However, detention of patients is only exercised under the very strict circumstance that a patient with mental health conditions is at risk of harm to self or others. For the past five years from 2016 to 2020, the number of persons who have been detained and treated under the Act for more than 72 hours and up to one month averaged 1,460 a year. An annual average of 128 and 14 were detained between 1-6 months and more than six months respectively. The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) treats all patients based on their mental health needs and does not specifically track the rehabilitation outcome of patients who have been detained in the hospital under the MHCTA. Frontline police officers are trained to adapt to different scenarios, and intervene decisively to protect life and property. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) continually adjusts its training to ensure that they remain relevant, and effectively equip officers to carry out their duties in a dynamic operating environment.”
“Singaporeans who still require more financial assistance to fund their long-term care costs can rely on Government safety nets, such as MediFund or ComCare.”
“There are broadly two categories of Activities of Daily Livings (ADLs). First, basic ADLs are activities necessary for independent living and basic self-care, such as washing and feeding oneself. Second, Instrumental ADLs (IADLs) are more complex activities that require higher cognitive functions and are related to the ability to live independently, such as communicating with others and managing one’s finances. These could impact individuals’ employability and financial independence. We currently do not have representative data on IADL trends in Singapore. National long-term care schemes such as CareShield Life, currently use basic ADLs to assess an individual’s functional disability and provide payouts to support policyholders when they are severely disabled. This strikes a balance between providing adequate support to Singaporeans with severe disabilities while keeping CareShield Life premiums and costs affordable for all. Notwithstanding this, the Ministry of Health recognises the impact of cognitive impairment on functional disability. Since 2020, we have improved the severe disability assessment framework to better consider the impact of cognitive impairment on functional ability. Cognitively impaired individuals with higher levels of functional impairment can now more consistently qualify for payouts under long-term care schemes like CareShield Life, MediSave Care, and ElderFund. The Government is committed to helping Singaporeans who require financial assistance for their long-term care costs. Singaporeans with functional disabilities who do not qualify for severe disability schemes like CareShield Life can apply for support through other schemes like the Home Caregiving Grant and the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy Concession for Persons with Disabilities.”
“From 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020, 191 Singapore Citizens (SCs) and 214 Permanent Residents (PRs) tested positive for COVID-19 out of about 64,000 and 32,000 arrivals respectively. Out of the 177,000 foreigners who arrived during this period, 1,179 tested positive for COVID-19. This included 440 Foreign Domestic Workers and 147 Work Permit Holders who tested positive, out of about 14,000 and 28,000 arrivals respectively. All arrivals from high-risk countries or regions are subject to Stay Home Notice (SHN), and all detected cases are sent to appropriate care facilities for isolation. This minimises the risk of transmission to the community. All inbound travellers who are not SCs or PRs, and who are entering from high-risk countries or regions, are required to present a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken within 72 hours before departure to board the plane to Singapore. Given the emergence of new virus variants and the worsening COVID-19 situation around the world, all inbound travellers (including SCs and PRs) arriving from 25 January 2021 are also required to take a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival in Singapore.”
“The MediShield Life Council is reviewing the MediShield Life coverage for cancer drugs so they can be covered in a more sustainable and affordable manner, in light of the rising cancer prevalence among Singaporeans and emergence of higher cost cancer therapies. The Council will also study the approaches taken in other countries, such as using health technology assessment to determine the clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness of the drug, and negotiating with pharmaceutical companies on pricing before funding is extended. The Council will then make its recommendations to MOH on the coverage and funding approach of cancer drugs. As the MediShield Life and MediSave schemes act in tandem to enhance affordability for Singaporeans, MOH will also review the MediSave withdrawal limit thereafter.”
“The Ministry of Health conducts inspections on all private and public sector hospitals once every two years. The regular inspections are supplemented with audits, compliance checks and additional inspections where required, for example when there is a change in management or when the institution is taking on new services. Prior to Concord International Hospital (CIH) providing inpatient care to COVID-19 patients, a joint inspection was conducted by the Ministry together with the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) in March 2020 to evaluate the suitability of CIH to accommodate COVID-19 patients. There were no non-compliant findings and CIH was assessed to be suitable for the management of COVID-19 cases at that time. The last COVID-19 patient was discharged from CIH on 26 September 2020. Subsequently, a change in management at CIH was notified to the Ministry on 9 December 2020 and an inspection on CIH was conducted from 14 to 16 December 2020 in view of this change. The inspections revealed several significant lapses from October 2020 onwards, after the last COVID-19 patient was discharged from CIH. These lapses posed significant risks to patient safety and well-being. A stop order was issued to CIH on 19 December 2020 and the Ministry is working closely with CIH to address its lapses. When the stop order was issued, CIH had on-going outpatient medical appointments with four patients, none of whom were COVID-related. There were no patients warded at the hospital. The Ministry has worked with the management and medical team of CIH to review the treatment plans and ensure the proper continuity of outpatient care for these four patients at other licensed healthcare institutions.”
“In the last three years, the number of elderly suicides, defined as those amongst persons 60 years and above, was 129 cases in 2017, 115 in 2018 and 122 in 2019. The suicide rate among Singapore residents aged 60 years and above fell from 16.4 per 100,000 residents in 2017 to 13.8 in 2018 and 13.5 in 2019, even as our senior population continued to increase. We do not track the number of suicides related to cases of terminal illnesses. There are currently a range of measures to support those with terminal illness, and their family members and caregivers. The Ministry of Health, the Agency for Integrated Care and Social Services Agencies have set up Community Outreach Teams to reach out to at-risk elderly (including the terminally ill) and their caregivers. The Community Outreach Teams provide basic social-emotional support and education on coping with mental health challenges, and link them to community resources for further support. In addition, MOH has enhanced the quality, accessibility and affordability of palliative care in Singapore. Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life for patients with terminal illness. Aside from relieving physical suffering through pain management, palliative care also addresses psychosocial and spiritual needs through holistic care provided by a multi-disciplinary team. Palliative care is currently available in the home setting, day care setting and inpatient setting to support these patients and their caregivers. MOH will continue to work with stakeholders to strengthen our multi-pronged approach in supporting terminally ill seniors.”
“We have made good progress in our vaccination programme. As of 31 January 2021, more than 155,000 individuals have received their first dose of the vaccine. We have prioritised our seniors for COVID-19 vaccination, as COVID-19 infection in the elderly has been observed to result in severe, or fatal illness. The safety and wellbeing of Singaporeans remain our top priorities for the vaccination programme. Only vaccines that meet strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness will be used for our population.”
“In the longer term, staying healthy is key to managing healthcare costs. We encourage Singaporeans to lead healthy lifestyles, go for regular health screening as well as receive nationally recommended vaccinations. The Health Promotion Board has been at the forefront of our health promotion efforts. For example, it launched the "Stay Well to Stay Strong" campaign last year to share bite-sized videos and articles with tips on practising good personal hygiene, healthy eating, exercising, and mental well-being. Individuals are also encouraged to go for regular, evidence-based, and subsidised health screening under the Screen for Life programme for early detection and management of chronic diseases, as well as subsidised nationally recommended vaccinations at participating providers such as the Community Health Assist Scheme General Practitioner clinics. MOH will continue to review our policy and funding measures, to ensure that healthcare treatments remain affordable and sustainable for Singaporeans.”
“Several factors contribute to healthcare cost increases, including our ageing population, medical advancements that can improve life spans and the quality of life, as well as increases in healthcare manpower and other operating costs. Managing healthcare costs has been a key priority of MOH. To guide private sector doctors and healthcare providers in charging appropriately, and enable patients and payers in making better informed decisions, we started publishing the private sector surgeon fee benchmarks in 2018. This is on top of our regular publication of total bill size for common conditions seen in both the public and private hospitals. As announced previously, new Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) must require a copayment of not less than five percent, in line with our principle of co-payment in the consumption of healthcare to prevent over-consumption, over-servicing and over-charging which can arise when there is no co-payment required for medical treatment. The MediShield Life Council has also noted the rapidly rising costs of cancer therapies and will be reviewing MediShield Life coverage for such treatment so they can be covered in a more sustainable and affordable manner. Choosing therapies that are cost-effective and well supported by clinical evidence would help us to stretch our healthcare dollar. We established the Agency for Care Effectiveness (ACE) to evaluate healthcare technologies and issue guidances on drugs and other technologies to share with both the public and private healthcare sectors. These measures will bear fruit over time. We will need a sustained effort over many years and all stakeholders must play their part and exercise responsibility when choosing and recommending appropriate care.”
“The toxic constituents of tobacco smoke are both particulate and gaseous in nature. Residential air cleaning technology is unable to adequately remove all of the gaseous components, such as formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide. We are unaware of any air filtration technology which would be effective at removing tobacco smoke and there is no risk-free level of second-hand smoke exposure according to the World Health Organisation. As such, my Ministry together with other agencies urge smokers to exercise social responsibility and refrain from lighting up where the second-hand tobacco smoke can affect those around them.”
“To support couples in fulfilling their marriage and parenthood aspirations, the Government provides co-funding for patients seeking Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) procedures, including In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), to defray their out-of-pocket costs for such procedures at public hospitals. Eligible couples1 can receive up to 75% in co-funding from the Government for ART treatment cycles, for a maximum of three fresh and three frozen ART cycles. From 2015 to 2019, annual co-funding provided has increased2 more than 40% from approximately $14 million in 2015 to $20 million in 2019. Government support for ART is based on clinical evidence that the success rate of ART decreases for successive cycles as a woman progresses in age. In 2019, among the 48 couples who utilised their sixth co-funded cycle, close to 75% of the women were aged 35 and above at the time of their sixth co-funded cycle. Clinical data shows that while success rates exceed 24.6% for women aged 34 and below, this falls to 17.1% for women from ages 35 to 39, and falls further to 6.7% for those aged 40 and above. Given the significantly lower success rate for couples undergoing additional co-funded cycles beyond the sixth cycle, it is important that we remain grounded by the clinical evidence when extending co-funding to more cycles at this point, while bearing in mind that the couple will still be subject to the emotional strain faced in each attempt. Hence, we must continue to encourage couples to seek treatment early, in order to maximise the chances of conception. Co-funding of six cycles hence strikes a balance between providing financial support to couples with parenthood aspirations and ensuring that public funds are used in a targeted way.”
“The Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) protects all individuals, including healthcare workers, from harassment. Based on data provided by our public healthcare institutions, the number of abuse/ harassment cases has been increasing over the past three years from about 1,080 in 2018 to about 1,300 in 2020. Over the same period, the number of cases of harassment or abuse of public healthcare workers while on duty that were reported to the Police, under Section 6 of POHA, has also similarly risen from 40 in 2018 to 58 in 2020. The Police do not specifically track reports made by healthcare workers for abuse or harassment while they are off-duty. Harassment of anyone, at any time, is an offence under POHA and offenders are liable to a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. Victims may also obtain Protection Orders restraining their perpetrators from further acts of harassment or sue them for damages. Punishments are higher if the offence is directed at public sector workers in the course of their duties under Section 6 of POHA. Persons who harass or abuse public healthcare workers in the course of their work are liable for enhanced penalties, and may be fined up to $5,000, imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both. Our healthcare workers deserve to work in a safe environment while they care for patients. MOH and our public healthcare institutions adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards staff abuse and harassment and will not hesitate to take appropriate actions against abuse and harassment of our healthcare workers.”
“Singaporeans who continue to face difficulties even after subsidies and have limited family support can apply for Additional Premium Support (APS). If approved, APS will cover all outstanding premiums as well as the premiums for the next two years. APS applications are generally processed within 20 days of receipt. Each application undergoes a thorough and careful assessment, including taking into consideration any extenuating circumstances that the applicant may be facing. No one will lose their MediShield Life coverage due to an inability to pay premiums.”
“To ensure MediShield Life premiums remain affordable, the Government provides premium subsidies of up to 50% for lower and middle-income households. All Merdeka Generation seniors receive additional subsidies of up to 10% on top of these premium subsidies, and annual MediSave top-ups of $200 from 2019 to 2023, which can be used to pay for the premiums. All Pioneers receive special subsidies of up to 60%, and lifetime annual MediSave top-ups which will be increased to $250 to $900 from 2021. As MediShield Life subsidies are designed as a percentage of the premiums payable, the absolute amount of subsidy increases as premiums increase over time due to inflation and other factors. The Government has also provided additional COVID-19 subsidy for all Singapore Citizens for two years, to further cushion the premium increases during this period. Taken together with the existing subsidies, the net premium increases for all Singapore Citizens will be no more than about 10% in the first year. Premium payment will also be deferred till end-December 2021 for those who have insufficient MediSave balances and are unable to pay their premiums in the coming year due to the economic impact of COVID-19. There is no need to apply for these subsidies, and the Pioneer and Merdeka Generation MediSave top-ups. They are automatically extended to eligible individuals. Singaporeans who experienced a recent, major change in their financial circumstances can appeal for a re-assessment of their eligibility for premium subsidies if needed. MediShield Life premiums can be fully paid using MediSave, and family members can also utilise their MediSave to help pay the premiums for their loved ones.”
“There is at present a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine globally. Supplies for Singapore will arrive in batches over several months as manufacturers increase the production of vaccines. In addition, there may be unforeseen disruptions to the vaccine delivery schedule. There were delays to shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines due to Pfizer's manufacturing plant upgrading. We will continue to monitor our supplies closely to ensure that we will have enough vaccines for all Singaporeans and long-term residents in Singapore by the third quarter of 2021. There is a need to prioritise the allocation of the vaccines. We have prioritised healthcare workers, COVID-19 frontline personnel, seniors, and other essential services personnel. We will progressively broaden our vaccination exercise to include other Singaporeans and long-term residents who are medically eligible. We understand the anxiety of some Singaporeans wish to travel overseas for personal reasons and are anxious to get vaccinated early. At this point when vaccine supplies are limited, we need to prioritise our healthcare and frontline workers, and seniors for vaccination. We are therefore unable to provide vaccines at this time to these Singaporeans and seek their understanding. When there is greater certainty in our vaccine supply, we will consider allowing individuals to receive early vaccination. We will announce further details when available.”
“As IP premiums are higher than MediShield Life premiums, we encourage Singaporeans to carefully consider their ward preferences and long-term affordability of IP premiums when choosing an IP, especially since premiums increase with age. In the longer term, staying healthy is key to managing healthcare costs. We encourage Singaporeans to lead healthy lifestyles, go for regular health screening as well as nationally recommended vaccinations, and will continue to enhance our outreach efforts. The Health Promotion Board has been at the forefront of our health promotion efforts and is continually enhancing our health promotion initiatives to ensure that they remain relevant and meaningful. For example, it launched the "Stay Well to Stay Strong" campaign last year to share bite-sized videos and articles with tips on practising good personal hygiene, healthy eating, exercising, and mental well-being. Individuals are also encouraged to go for regular, evidence-based, and subsidised health screening under the Screen for Life programme for early detection and management of chronic diseases, as well as subsidised nationally recommended vaccinations at participating providers such as the Community Health Assist Scheme General Practitioner clinics. MOH will continue to monitor and review our cost containment efforts and the various features of healthcare insurance design, to ensure that healthcare treatments remain affordable and sustainable for Singaporeans.”
“For MediShield Life, the Government has accepted the MediShield Life Council's recent recommendation to adjust the premiums, to keep pace with the rising number of claims and payouts, and also to support the updating of claim limits and benefit enhancements to ensure that the scheme continues to provide adequate protection for Singaporeans. To ensure that MediShield Life premiums remain affordable, the Government will provide up to $2.2 billion for premium subsidies and support over the next three years, including support measures for lower and middle-income households, and Pioneer Generation (PG) and Merdeka Generation seniors. The net premium increase for all Singapore Citizens will be no more than about 10% in the first year. In addition, the lifetime annual MediSave top-ups for PG seniors will be increased from 2021 and premium payment will be deferred till end of this year for those who have insufficient MediSave balances and are unable to pay their premiums due to the economic impact of COVID-19. The financially needy can also apply for Additional Premium Support. No one will lose their MediShield Life coverage due to an inability to pay for their premiums. Under MediShield Life, Singaporeans pay higher premiums when they are young, which are given back as rebates in old age to make premiums more affordable. Younger policyholders have more lead time to do so and will thus receive higher premium rebates when they reach old age in future. Insurers offering IPs that provide additional private coverage above MediShield Life will also review their premium pricing from time to time.”
“Several factors contribute to healthcare cost increases, including our ageing population, medical advancements that can improve life spans and the quality of life, as well as increases in healthcare manpower and other operating costs. Managing healthcare costs has been a key priority of MOH. For example, to guide private sector doctors and healthcare providers in charging appropriately, and enable patients and payers in making better informed healthcare decisions, we published the private sector surgeon fee benchmarks in 2018, and further published a second tranche of fee benchmarks, for anesthetists’ fee and doctor’s inpatient attendance fees, in December 2020. This is on top of our regular publication of total bill size for common conditions seen in both the public and private hospitals. As announced previously, Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) with zero co-payment coverage have also been progressively phased out, in line with our principle of co-payment in the consumption of healthcare. This is important to reduce the propensity for over-consumption, over-servicing and over-charging which can arise when there is no co-payment required for medical treatment. The MediShield Life Council has also noted the rapidly rising costs of cancer therapies and will be reviewing MediShield Life coverage for such treatment so they can be covered in a more sustainable and affordable manner. These measures will take time to bear fruit. We will need a sustained effort over many years and all stakeholders must play their part and exercise responsibility when choosing and recommending appropriate and necessary care.”
“sg, a stress management and coping website that consolidates access to resources to improve mental well-being. The website includes a wellbeing self-assessment tool for users to conduct a self-assessment of their stress level; users will be guided along appropriate pathways of intervention and support based on the assessment outcomes. For social service providers, the Social Service Institute runs the E.M.B.R.A.C.E. Mental Health course which aims to equip providers with knowledge on the signs and symptoms of common mental health conditions and how to properly communicate and provide support to persons with mental health issues. In addition, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) has developed mental health awareness e-learning modules to equip key stakeholders such as frontline officers and community partners with the knowledge and skills to identify signs and symptoms of mental health and know where to go for help. AIC has also set up community outreach teams to actively reach out and provide early identification and community support for persons with mental health needs. Ministry of Health recognise the importance of mental health first aid in the population and will continue to work with agencies and community partners to expand the outreach of our efforts.”
“Mental health first aid involves equipping individual with the skills and knowledge to recognise common mental health problem, provide initial support, and guide the person with mental health issues towards appropriate professional help. In this regard, the Government has been actively promoting mental health literacy and awareness of mental health conditions in the population. In schools, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) offers psycho-emotional programmes and peer supporter training to promote the understanding of mental health and support those who need help. In 2021, the Ministry of Education will also introduce the enhanced Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) which will feature mental health education to teach students on maintaining their wellbeing, better understand and recognise mental health problems and symptoms, and know when and how to seek help and support. At workplaces, HPB runs a management training workshop to equip managers and human resource personnel with the knowledge to recognise staff facing difficulties at work and may need help, and be supportive leaders at their workplace. HPB also rolled out the Workplace Outreach Wellness (WOW) Package to help companies co-fund and implement health promotion programmes such as mental wellness workshops to enable their staff to better cope with stress at work. In the community, HPB and MCCY are implementing a "Brave the New" campaign targeting the general population exposed to varying levels of stress and adjustment challenges arising from COVID-19. The campaign aims to help people recognise negative emotions, equip them with coping tips, and normalise help-seeking behaviours. The Ministry of Health Office for Healthcare Transformation also launched mindline.”
“This animated video is available on Health Hub’s page on cervical cancer. This complements our HPV school-based vaccination programme. Since its launch in 2019, at least nine out of 10 Secondary 1 female students have received HPV vaccinations. HPB is expanding its work to involve student groups in tertiary institutions and partner organisations on student led initiatives to raise awareness of cancers and early detection. We will continue to intensify our efforts to encourage women to go for regular screening, and welcome suggestions to improve our early detection efforts to save lives.”
“We recommend that women aged 25 to 29 years should undergo a Pap smear at a 3-yearly interval. For women aged 30 years and above, the recommendation is for them to undergo the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test at a 5-yearly interval. Based on the 2019 National Population Health Survey (NPHS), 88.5% of Singaporean women aged 25 to 74 years reported being aware of cervical cancer screening tests (e.g. Pap and HPV tests). About one in two women, aged 25 to 74 years, had undergone screening for cervical cancer within the last three years. However, only 76.5% of the younger age group (25-29 years) had knowledge of Pap smear compared to 91.0% of the older age group (30-69 years). HPB works closely with partners such as the Singapore Cancer Society on public education efforts, so as to bridge the knowledge gap. Annual campaigns such as the Women’s Gynecological Cancers Campaign (WGCAM), focus on the main gynecological cancers of which cervical cancer is one. HPB also runs the Screen for Life (SFL) programme which encourages Singapore residents to go for regular recommended health screenings, including cervical cancer screening. Beyond national-level campaigns, HPB and partnering organisations will continue to work with schools, including tertiary institutions, to raise awareness about women’s health, expanding beyond specific cancers. As part of the Health and Physical Education curriculum for upper primary and lower secondary students, discussions are held on the topic of cancer including common cancers among males and females in Singapore and the importance of a healthier lifestyle to prevent cancers. HPB worked with Nanyang Polytechnic to develop a video on cervical cancer prevention and the importance of early detection in 2019.”
“This is a 67% increase compared to 2014 when there were about 7,600 workers in the LTC sector . To meet the growing demand for manpower in the healthcare sector, we have increased local training places, in particular for nursing. The local nursing intake increased by about 50% from 1,500 in 2014 to 2,200 in 2019. AIC has also been working with LTC providers and recruitment partners like Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) to facilitate employment of individuals and raise awareness of job opportunities in the LTC sector. These efforts, which commenced since 2017 as part of a suite of employment facilitation initiatives, have resulted in about more than 3,400 locals joining the Intermediate and Long Term Care sector from 2017 to 2019. LTC providers can also tap on employment facilitation schemes such as AIC’s Senior Management Associate Scheme (SMAS) to hire mid-career locals for leadership or managerial roles within their organisation.”
“The Ministry of Health (MOH) has been working with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), community partners such as the Social Service Agencies (SSAs) and Public Healthcare Institutions (PHIs) to provide community mental health services to persons who face mental health challenges, including seniors, under the Community Mental Health Masterplan. To support seniors who face mental health challenges, MOH and AIC have worked with the SSAs to establish community outreach teams who reach out to these seniors to provide mental health information and support. These teams are able to provide basic emotional support, and can help to link these seniors and their caregivers up with other health and social services where necessary. As of June 2020, we have set up 48 community outreach teams which have reached out to over 324,000 persons. In 2019, MOH launched the Caregiver Support Action Plan to strengthen support for senior caregiving, covering a range of support measures including care navigation, respite care, financial support and socio-emotional support. In particular, under the Action Plan, caregivers who have or are at-risk of developing depression, anxiety and burn-out due to their caregiving role can approach AIC or the community partners to access support by caregiver community outreach teams. These caregiver-focused community outreach teams will support caregivers in self-care through health and wellness activities, stress management and future planning. Caregivers will also be directed to support groups and counselling services where needed. Based on data reported by service providers, in 2019, there were about 12,700 workers employed by Long-Term Care (LTC) providers who received subvention from MOH.”
“They may also apply for the Integrated Home and Day Care (IHDC) programme and have flexibility to receive home-based care services, centre-based care services, or a combination of both. Seniors or caregivers who need help can approach AIC for further assistance.”
“Nursing home placements are prioritised based on care need. Seniors who require help and supervision in three or more activities of daily living such as feeding and toileting, and have weak family support are given priority. The waiting time for a subsidised nursing home bed is also affected by family preferences and available capacity. During the COVID-19 outbreak, nursing homes continued to accept new admissions. Additional precautionary measures have been implemented to protect residents against COVID-19, including enhanced infection control and prevention practices, safe management measures and COVID-19 testing protocols for nursing home staff and residents. New admissions to nursing homes and residents returning from hospitals were also tested for COVID-19 and/or isolated prior to assimilation into general ward. The median waiting time for a nursing home bed has remained stable over the last few years at around one month. While awaiting nursing home placement, the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) works with the seniors and their caregivers to make alternative care arrangements such as home-based and community services to support the senior. For example, seniors discharged from hospitals who require more time to finalise their long-term care arrangements may apply for the Interim Caregiver Service (ICS), which provides short term post-discharge custodial care for seniors, six days a week and 10 to 12 hours a day. Depending on their care needs, seniors can also make use of home care services such as home medical, home nursing, home personal care, meals delivery and medical escort and transport services.”