Ong Ye Kung
Singapore
“The Ministry of Health (MOH) recently enhanced the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) dental subsidies, which are tiered by income, for common preventive and restorative procedures.”
“Healthier SG GP clinics may also refer their enrolled patients to Active Ageing Centres and Community Health Posts to fulfill their social prescriptions and for subsidised services, such as medication management.”
“Public hospitals, such as the National University Hospital, the Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital, have deployed robotic-assisted surgical (RAS) systems for minimally invasive soft-tissue surgeries.”
“The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) welcomes drug producers to choose Singapore as part of their first-wave filings. As long as a pharmaceutical product is approved by at least one regulatory agency, such as China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), it would also qualify for the abridged route.”
“A decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with diabetes can be due to multiple reasons. Doctors will first investigate the underlying cause before determining whether the patient should be referred to a specialist. Some causes are reversible and cause transient reduction in renal function.”
“Information on the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) cannot be made visible on the National Electronic Health Record system as it is protected under the Mental Capacity Act. Such information may only be disclosed by the Public Guardian to specified persons upon satisfactory submission of evidence(s) required under the law.”
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“Our hospitals' responsibility is to ensure that mothers and their newborns are discharged when they are medically stable. Hospitals will also follow up with the necessary reviews, checkups and vaccinations. After they are discharged, some families may observe confinement, such as staying indoors, following a special diet and avoiding strenuous activities. Some may engage confinement care services which may include postnatal nourishment, massages, general mother and baby care, aimed at providing comfort for mothers and babies during the confinement period. Such services are not healthcare services and hence, not regulated under the Healthcare Services Act. The Ministry of Health also does not track nor have plans to institute standards for confinement care services.”
“From the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study, it is estimated that secondhand smoke contributes to approximately 1% of the total disease burden in Singapore. Disease burden is measured using the number of years of healthy life lost due to premature death and disability. From the same study, the annual total number of deaths attributable to second-hand smoke for Singapore was estimated to be 364 in 2019, 355 in 2020, 368 in 2021, 382 in 2022, and 404 in 2023.”
“In Singapore, influenza viruses circulate throughout the year, with two periods of higher activity typically observed between May and August and between December and March. These broadly coincide with the Northern and Southern Hemisphere winter seasons, but their timing may vary from year to year due to factors, such as international travel, weather conditions, immunity levels and population mixing patterns. The increase in influenza activity since August 2025 illustrates this variability. There is no evidence of any significant new trends that are fundamentally changing Singapore's influenza transmission cycles. The Communicable Diseases Agency has surveillance programmes that monitor the incidence of influenza and other acute respiratory infections at selected primary care clinics as well as acute hospitals. These are continually enhanced to strengthen surveillance and response capabilities so that we can detect surges and respond to them as necessary. Under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule and National Adult Immunisation Schedule, vulnerable groups are recommended to receive annual or per-season influenza vaccination. Vaccination is available at any time of the year, and medical practitioners receive bi-annual clinical guidance on administering the vaccine for each season. Individuals should receive the vaccine when they are due to do so, as influenza transmits year-round. They may consult their doctors to discuss their need and timing in receiving the vaccine, based on individual circumstances.”
“The Ministry of Health takes reference from the Screening Test Review Committee's (STRC's) recommendations for screening, including for lung cancer. The Committee's recommendations take into account local and international evidence on clinical and cost-effectiveness of various screening tests. Currently, lung cancer screening is recommended by the STRC only for high-risk individuals, that is, those who are heavy smokers or have a history of heavy smoking. There are ongoing local studies on lung cancer screening. When the outcomes of these studies are published, any new evidence on lung cancer screening will be taken into account in future reviews of the screening recommendations.”
“This question for written answer has been addressed in the oral reply to Parliamentary Question No 43 in the Parliament Sitting for 4 November 2025. [Please refer to "Tracking of Annual Malnutrition Rates Among Seniors for Past Five Years", Official Report, 4 November 2025, Vol 96, Issue 9, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“We encourage the use of detection and monitoring technologies to support ageing in place. For example, the Ministry of Health will be introducing a 24/7 fall and movement monitoring and response service under the Enhanced Home Personal Care Service. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is also extending the wireless Alert Alarm System to seniors staying in about 170 public rental blocks. For seniors staying in HDB flats, HDB partners with market-ready commercial vendors to offer optional assistive-living technologies. HDB is open to assessing the feasibility of the HoME+ system for inclusion in this programme.”
“Questions 100 and 101 have been addressed in the answer to Question No 43 in the Parliament Sitting for 4 November 2025. [Please refer to "Contributing Factors to Rise in Malnutrition among Older Singaporeans", Official Report, 4 November 2025, Vol 96, Issue 9, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“There are some studies indicating possible associations between exposure to second-hand smoke and poor mental health. But there is currently insufficient evidence to show that such exposure causes adverse mental health outcomes. The commonly recognised risk factors of mental health issues are lifestyle aspects, such as stress, sleep problems, chronic diseases and excessive screen time.”
“There is no strong scientific evidence to support routine, mental health screening for asymptomatic individuals. Singapore hence adopts a risk-based approach that focuses on early identification and intervention for children and adults with mental health concerns. In Ministry of Education schools and Institutes of Higher Learning, there are trained peer supporters, educators and staff who can identify signs of distress among students and provide the necessary support, including referring them to mental health professionals in the community for further assessment and intervention.”
“In the most recent three months, there were more than 900 nursing job vacancies across public hospitals. That said, current vacancy rate is not a meaningful metric in healthcare, because the system is expanding and we are constantly hiring ahead of demand to fill the positions that are needed when new hospital and healthcare institutions are opened. We are starting to recruit for the new Eastern General Hospital and redevelopment of Alexandra Hospital. There has been no slowdown of hiring of nurses. Many local nursing graduates join the public healthcare sector and, to date, close to 1,000 are hired by clusters this year, which is similar to the past two years. Clusters have provided feedback that some job applicants prefer certain work locations or shift patterns, which do not meet the needs of the hiring institutions. We encourage nursing graduates to be open to try a wider variety of work conditions to gain a richer work experience. We are working towards growing our national healthcare manpower by another 20% by 2030 to support capacity expansion. Local nurses are not enough to fulfil those manpower needs and we, therefore, have to continue to supplement with foreign nurses.”
“The post-2019 changes to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) disciplinary process were effected through amendments to the Medical Registration Act 1997 on 1 July 2022. Following the changes, the Minister for Health appoints an independent Disciplinary Commission (DC) to convene Disciplinary Tribunals (DTs). DC also oversees the processes of DTs and training of the DT members on legal concepts, such as the rules of natural justice and due process, sentencing principles and proportionate sentencing. DT members draw on their relevant professional expertise and come to an autonomous decision, while remaining within the guidance provided by the SMC Sentencing Guidelines, case precedents and appeal judgements by the Court of Three Judges (C3J). This compliance with sentencing benchmarks and the appeal judgements of C3J ensure that decisions made are consistent, fair and proportionate to the offences disclosed, and take relevant mitigating circumstances into consideration. These changes have provided greater transparency and predictability in disciplinary processes and outcomes. This includes the establishment of an Inquiry Committee to first assess whether there is any substantive merit to the complaints made and a time-bar for incidents that happened more than six years from the complainant's knowledge of the incident. The time given to the Complaints Committee and DT to make their respective decisions is further prescribed in the legislation so that disciplinary cases can be closed expediently.”
“The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not specifically track out-of-pocket costs in the manner requested by the Member. However, we do monitor affordability through post-subsidy bills for each Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) tier. Based on 2024 data, the 90th percentile annual post-subsidy bill for chronic conditions of CHAS Green cardholders is about $550, or less than $50 per month. The out-of-pocket amount would be lower after taking into account claims from MediSave 500/700 and Flexi-MediSave. CHAS Green cardholders have per capita household income (PCHI) of at least $2,300. In designing subsidy tiers, MOH balances the need to vary subsidy levels and support for different income segments, and scheme complexity. For CHAS General Practitioner visits, there are three CHAS tiers and another two tiers for Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation cardholders. This structure smoothens and targets government subsidies to a reasonable degree without being overly complicated. For individuals who marginally exceed PCHI thresholds of a better CHAS tier, they may appeal and we will assess their circumstances on a case-by-case basis.”
“Over the past three years, the Silver Generation Office (SGO) has engaged almost 600,000 seniors. Of these, about 14,000 seniors were assessed to be at risk of social isolation. SGO connects these seniors to community resources, such as Active Ageing Centres (AACs) to People Association's programmes. Community befrienders will reach out to all these seniors. Seniors who accept the befriending service will be contacted at least monthly. Tackling social isolation is a whole-of-society effort. More than 80% of seniors at-risk of social isolation are engaged by AACs, enrolled in Healthier SG, receiving long-term care or healthcare services, or participating in activities organised by People's Association and Health Promotion Board. Many of them are supported by multiple programmes.”
“The Ministry of Health does not have the number of residents who die alone in their homes. Our focus is to reach out to and support seniors, especially those living alone. It is only through effective outreach and befriending that we can prevent such deaths. This requires the collaboration of many community partners – Silver Generation Ambassadors, volunteers of Active Ageing Centres, grassroots and other volunteers. Grassroots advisers are in a unique position to help organise and lead these community resources.”
“Intergenerational co-living models, such as Commune @ Henderson introduced by the Singapore Land Authority, provide housing options for both the young and seniors. This increases the variety of housing options to meet the diverse needs and preferences of Singapore's current and future seniors. However, we may not be able to rely on these intergenerational co-living models to be the primary housing model for seniors. We will also need a spectrum of other housing-care options to cater to seniors' care needs and preferences – from Community Care Apartments, Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving models, Nursing Homes and also Age Well Neighbourhoods.”
“The Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services sandbox was launched in 2023 to test more ways to allow seniors to age within the community and provide alternative caregiving option for families. Thus far, providers, clients and their next-of-kin have shared positive feedback about the effectiveness of the Shared Stay-in Senior Caregiving Services sandbox in these regards. This service can support seniors living alone, as long as they have the cognitive ability to manage their caregiving decisions or have a next-of-kin to make caregiving decisions on the seniors' behalf. Given the positive response, we will mainstream this service by end-2025 and extend work pass flexibilities, such as additional foreign worker quota and source relaxations, to new operators who intend to deliver this service. We will share more information with interested providers and clients before end-2025.”
“This question for written answer has been addressed by oral reply to Question No 43 on the Order Paper for 4 November 2025.”
“In 2023, there were about 74,000 persons living with dementia, based on the second Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WISE) Study by the Institute of Mental Health. We estimate this will grow to 152,000 by 2030.”
“CareShield Life policyholders who apply to make a claim will need to undergo an assessment by a Ministry of Health (MOH)-accredited severe disability assessor. Policyholders who disagree with the outcomes of their severe disability assessment can appeal. Each appeal is reviewed by an independent panel of experienced healthcare professionals. Since CareShield Life was launched in 2020, there have been three appeal cases. None were successful. MOH and the Agency for Integrated Care continually review our assessment process and scheme administration for improvement. For instance, in response to feedback to improve convenience for applicants, we have been expanding the number of assessors who do house calls and are based at Public Health Institutions. We have also streamlined the claims application process across various disability schemes, to reduce administrative load on care recipients and caregivers.”
“As of June 2025, there are 2,179 active CareShield Life claimants. Of which, 6% were aged 80 years and above; 18% were aged 70 to 79; 15% were aged 60 to 69; 17% were aged 50 to 59; 23% were aged 40 to 49; and 21% were aged 30 to 39. As CareShield Life was introduced only in 2020, and optional for those born in 1979 and earlier, the claimant profile tends to be younger for now. Among claimants, the typical causes of sudden onset of severe disability are stroke and accidents resulting in hip or other fractures. Severe disability can also develop gradually through chronic conditions, like hypertension, diabetes and heart disease, or progressive illnesses, such as dementia and Parkinson's disease. There are a number of national initiatives to encourage good health and healthy ageing amongst our population. For instance, Healthier SG supports Singaporeans to lead healthier lifestyles and prevent the onset of chronic diseases, which are often precursors for long-term care needs. Age Well SG, our national strategy to support seniors to age well in their homes and communities, helps to prevent, manage and delay frailty, allowing more of us to live without long-term care.”
“While the Healthier SG enrolment programme is focused on residents aged 40 and above, as older age groups are more susceptible to co-morbidities and chronic illnesses, those under 40 and with chronic diseases are cared for through regular follow-ups with their primary care providers. These younger Singaporeans can tap on Community Health Assist Scheme subsidies and MediSave use for the treatment of chronic conditions, under the Chronic Disease Management Programme.”
“The median waiting time for a nursing home bed has remained stable at around one month. The waiting time for a nursing home bed depends on the seniors' care needs, family preferences and available capacity. The Ministry of Health is increasing nursing home capacity from over 20,000 beds today to 31,000 beds in 2030. We will continue to monitor nursing home waiting times and utilisation rates, and adjust our nursing home capacity plans accordingly.”
“Components of lifestyle medicine, such as encouraging healthy eating habits and physical activity, are incorporated in the Healthier SG Care Protocols and lifestyle prescriptions. These guide Healthier SG family doctors in supporting their enrolled residents to develop healthy lifestyles and manage their chronic diseases. Since the launch of Healthier SG, 22 Care Protocols have been developed and more will be introduced progressively.”
“The promotion of good lifestyle habits, such as encouraging healthy eating habits and regular physical activity, are part of the core learning outcomes for healthcare students in general, such as those in medical and nursing programmes.”
“Vape detection sensors are currently not used in public institutions. Some schools and Institutes of Higher Learning have explored their usage but assessed them to be unsuitable for implementation. Vape detection sensors are not regulated by the Ministry of Health nor the Health Sciences Authority.”
“There are already screening and counselling pathways for women aged 40-59, as well as menopause management pathways, in the existing healthcare framework. As menopause increases the risk of hypertension and hyperlipidemia and their complications, under Healthier SG, women are encouraged to undertake screening for cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension and hyperlipidemia as well as diabetes and for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers. Women experiencing menopausal symptoms are encouraged to inform their primary care or Healthier SG doctor, who would assess the symptoms and the patient's needs to make recommendations on further management. Primary care doctors are trained to manage menopause-related health issues. There are also other sources of support for women undergoing menopause, including public educational resources, and through interest groups, such as "Dynamite Daisies" under KK Women's and Children's Hospital, who promote awareness of general women's health and provide support for women undergoing menopause transitions.”
“As the public healthcare system expands, there continues to be strong hiring interest across our public healthcare clusters for local nurses. The number of local nurses hired by the public healthcare clusters to date in 2025 is comparable to previous years. Clusters have provided feedback that some applicants had a preference for certain work locations or shift patterns, which did not meet the needs of the hiring institutions. We encourage nursing graduates to be open to try a wider variety of work conditions to gain a richer work experience.”
“The Government reviews our support measures periodically to help ease the burden on our caregivers. For example, we will be implementing higher subsidies for long-term care and adult disability services, including for caregiving respite services, next year. To better support those looking after persons with moderate disabilities at home, we will also be raising the quantum for the Home Caregiving Grant. In addition, the Silver Generation Office will continue to reach out to seniors, including caregivers who live alone and connect them to community resources, such as Active Ageing Centres, for befriending activities or caregiver support as necessary.”
“An Active Ageing Centre (AAC) typically takes around two years to set up. From identifying an appropriate site, appointing a provider, constructing the facilities and working out operational issues. Securing a suitable site, in particular, can be challenging in private estates. The Ministry of Health will continue to work with agencies and Grassroots Advisors to explore different ways to extend AAC services to private estates. In the next three years, we hope to expand AACs in private estates to reach out to another 20,000 seniors. We welcome Grassroots Advisers' suggestions of suitable spaces for AACs.”
“A 2021 study by the National Healthcare Group (NHG Health) found that 8.7% and 7.3% of patients who had visited NHG Health polyclinics between December 2021 and April 2022 were screened positive for clinical depression and anxiety symptoms respectively. Of the patients who were screened positive for clinical depression and anxiety, about half were females. Patients are first assessed at the general clinic and referred, as needed, to the polyclinic's dedicated mental health clinic. Those who need more urgent attention receive earlier appointments or are referred to specialist care. Over the period between 2017 to 2024, the average time between the initial general clinic review and the dedicated mental health clinic is 26 days.”
“The Ministry of Health does not specifically track the number of children with special needs who have benefited from healthcare subsidy schemes. In general, healthcare subsidies are provided based on the medical needs of the patients and tiered based on household income level, so that more help can go to lower-income families.”
“Public healthcare institutions set fees for these medical reports on a cost recovery basis for manpower and other administrative costs incurred. Doctors may need to spend more time and effort to review medical records for more complex cases, and hence the charges may vary. Patients with financial difficulties can approach medical social workers at public healthcare institutions for assistance with their medical report fee.”
“The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not have readily available data on the distribution of annual out-of-pocket costs, that is, after CHAS subsidy and MediSave, at the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) clinics, by income decile and card tier. The table below shows the annual post-subsidy amount for CHAS cardholders that utilised CHAS chronic subsidies in 2024. These amounts can be further reduced by MediSave through the MediSave 500/700 scheme. MOH does not have data specifically on the number of CHAS, Pioneer Generation or Merdeka Generation cardholders with chronic conditions. Nonetheless, we observe that around 14% of the 2.7 million cardholders utilised CHAS chronic subsidies in 2024. Not all CHAS cardholders require chronic disease management. Those who require chronic disease management may not tap on CHAS chronic subsidies as they may be managing their care at other settings or may tap on other payment arrangements, such as employee medical benefits. MOH reviews CHAS subsidies regularly, taking into consideration the out-of-pocket costs for patients after MediSave, to ensure that they are adequate amid rising healthcare costs. Most common chronic medications are subsidised under the Standard Drug List and Medication Assistance Fund List.”
“The criteria considered by the Clinical Advisory Committee (CAC) and assessment of eczema-related conditions for the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) inclusion were explained in response to the written Parliamentary Question raised by the Member for the Parliamentary Sitting on 25 September 2025. [Please refer to "Inclusion of Moderate-to-Severe Ezcema under Chronic Disease Management Programme", Official Report, 25 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 5, Written Answers to Questions section.] As indicated previously, assessment of eczema-related conditions for inclusion in CDMP is under way.”
“My answer will also address the written Parliament Question raised by Dr Choo Pei Ling1, scheduled for a future Sitting. I would invite the Member to ask supplementary questions, if any. If the Question has been satisfactorily answered, it may not be necessary for the Member to proceed with the Question for future Sitting. Data on suicide cases by age and gender among those aged 60 and above is publicly released in the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on an annual basis. Breakdown by race and housing type is not available. The annual number of suicide cases for elderly has generally declined over the last five years; male suicide deaths has been about double of female suicide deaths. There is currently no comprehensive data source for suicide attempts. Suicide is multi-factorial and usually not due to any single cause. A recent study2 on suicide by the Institute of Mental Health had identified a combination of risk factors, such as relationship breakdowns, having a mental health condition as well as prior suicide attempts. The national mindline 1771 and SOS Hotline 1767 provide 24/7 help and crisis support for those in mental distress, including seniors. The Silver Generation Office under the Agency for Integrated Care proactively identifies vulnerable seniors and connects them to community mental health teams for assessment, emotional support and counselling where needed. For those at risk of loneliness and social isolation, they are referred to Active Ageing Centres for active ageing programmes and befriending services.”
“The School Dental Service deploys 30 mobile dental clinics to serve secondary and Special Education schools without static clinics. The mobile clinics are scheduled to visit each of these schools once a year, and there is no need to book and wait for mobile clinics. Most primary schools have dental clinics within their premises and do not require mobile services.”
“Dietary advice will also be provided during the Healthier SG Health Plan and Nurse Counselling sessions. EatWise SG is an effort to enhance the capability of community partners and primary care physicians. MOH will monitor the outcomes of the capability development efforts such as patient satisfaction with nutrition care. Thirdly, the Government also provides support to ensure that seniors, including those with low income, have access to healthy food. For example, the Community Development Council Voucher Scheme supports Singaporeans in managing daily expenses, such as food costs. HPB also works with supermarket chains to increase the variety of healthier house brand protein sources, which are typically more affordable. HPB also partners food businesses to make healthier meals accessible across different settings and budgets, as well as make healthier choices more obvious. Vulnerable seniors, such as those with mobility challenges, and those who are unable to prepare or buy their own meals safely, can also receive subsidised, nutritious, home-delivered meals under the Meals-on-Wheels service. We seek the support of all community partners and grassroots in these initiatives to improve nutrition support for seniors. Members of the public do not need to sign up to participate in EatWise SG. Instead, they may contact their Healthier SG clinics for nutrition advice or to find out more about available nutrition care programmes at Active Ageing Centres.”
“My response will also address the Parliamentary Question for written answer raised by Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye scheduled for today's Sitting and similar questions raised by Dr Charlene Chen, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin and Mr Yip Hon Weng scheduled for subsequent Sittings. [Please refer to "Proportion of Seniors Screened or Flagged for Malnutrition", Official Report, 5 November 2025, Vol 96, Issue 10, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section; and "Outcomes of EatWise SG Programme and Nutrition Support Access for Vulnerable Seniors", Official Report, 5 November 2025, Vol 96, Issue 10, Written Answers to Questions section.] Malnutrition of seniors is not a new issue. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) monitors the energy and nutrition intake of Singapore adults' diets through the National Nutrition Survey (NNS). Based on the 2019 and 2022 surveys, the rates have remained stable with about one in four older adults (aged 50 to 69 years) not meeting their minimum caloric requirement, and about one in two not meeting the recommended protein intake. Diet is a critical aspect of population health. There are many risk factors for malnutrition including social isolation and low health literacy. This is why the Ministry of Health (MOH) is addressing them comprehensively through national programmes, such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG. First, MOH and HPB help seniors to understand the importance of a healthy diet through community-based education efforts. For example, HPB's "Steady Lah" programme incorporates interactive activities to educate seniors about healthy balanced diet. Second, primary care and community partners identify at-risk seniors and provide early intervention.”
“There are adequate provisions and safeguards under the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) and the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act (MTERA) to uphold donor's wishes. Healthcare professionals follow established protocols to ensure the donor's wishes are honoured while supporting families of deceased donors during their grief. In situations where the family members of the potential donor raise strong objections to donation, healthcare teams will speak with family members to address their concerns. The Ministry of Health has no plans to consolidate organ, body and brain donations. Singaporeans and Permanent Residents can already register their organs, body and brain donation decisions through the national Organ Donor Registry portal. Brain donations are also managed separately at Brain Bank Singapore for individuals who cannot pledge under MTERA due to their medical conditions. Despite the separate registries, the National Organ Transplant Unit and BBS have established processes to ensure that donors' registered decisions are honoured upon death.”
“The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not specifically track the number of children diagnosed with rare diseases. All clinically- and cost-effective treatments, including those for rare diseases, are subsidised at our public healthcare institutions. MediSave and MediShield Life coverage is also available to further offset costs for selected high-cost drugs, and cell, tissue and gene therapies targeting rare diseases. The Rare Disease Fund (RDF) provides additional support to patients with rare diseases who may need help to afford their treatments, including instances where the treatments may not be covered by subsidies, MediSave or MediShield Life. For every dollar donated to the RDF, the Government matches with three additional dollars. Beyond treatments, some rare disease patients may also encounter disabilities for which additional support is required. Such patients can tap on long-term care subsidies and grants, which will be enhanced progressively from 2026, to offset such caregiving and equipment costs. For instance, those with disabilities can tap on monthly payouts of up to $400 from the Home Caregiving Grant to defray their caregiving costs, so long as they are being cared for in the community. They can also tap on the Assistive Technology Fund to offset the costs of any supportive equipment they might require. Those who still face financial difficulties can approach the medical social workers at their healthcare institutions to explore other forms of support for their needs, such as MediFund.”
“In 2024, around 87,000 residents aged 65 and above were living alone. To prevent incidences of seniors dying alone at home, there needs to be an active befriending programme in the community. The Silver Generation Office's work with grassroots volunteers and outreach by Active Ageing Centres are significant efforts to address this and other issues relating to ageing. We will continue to build up outreach efforts through these initiatives.”
“The XFG variant is a descendant of the Omicron variant. There is no evidence to suggest that XFG causes more severe illness or deaths compared to previous variants. Given that COVID-19 is now an endemic disease, the Ministry of Health (MOH) had adjusted our vaccination recommendations over time. Vaccination is recommended for individuals (a) aged 60 years and above; (b) medically vulnerable individuals aged six months and above; and (c) residents of aged care facilities. Other individuals aged six months and above can also receive the COVID-19 vaccine. To make vaccination convenient, it is offered at more than 600 general practitioner clinics and 10 polyclinics across the island. It continues to be free under the COVID-19 National Vaccination Programme. To enhance convenience for seniors, mobile vaccination teams continue to be deployed to selected heartland locations and care facilities. MOH will also send SMS invitations to eligible seniors.”
“Tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, are not common in Singapore. As Singapore is a travel and transportation hub, there is a risk of tick-borne diseases among travellers from countries where the pathogens have been recorded. However, the risk of sustained community transmission in Singapore is low. Tick-borne diseases often present with non-specific symptoms including fever, muscle aches and rash, and, if left untreated, can result in severe complications. As such, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) educates travellers on preventing tick-borne diseases while abroad, and travellers who fall ill upon return should seek medical treatment. In partnership with the National Parks Board and the National Environment Agency, CDA adopts a One Health approach to conduct surveillance and research of tick-borne diseases in Singapore.”
“Community Mental Health Teams do not reject walk-ins or referred individuals. The teams will assess clients' mental health needs and refer them to other services where appropriate or indicated. In 2024, 316 clients were referred to hospitals and other services for reasons such as severe mental health conditions, need for specialised care and client's preference to change services.”
“On average, around 210,000 Singaporeans across a range of income profiles used their MediSave for their family members annually between 2022 and 2024. Singaporeans primarily use MediSave for their individual healthcare needs rather than for their family members. Risk of MediSave inadequacy, if any, is more likely to stem from their own healthcare needs. Regardless, there is support for Singaporeans with lower MediSave balances, such as Government top-ups and Additional Premium Support for national insurance schemes. Those who exhaust their MediSave balances and face financial difficulties with their healthcare bills at public healthcare institutions are also supported through our safety nets, such as MediFund. No one will lose coverage to appropriate care due to an inability to pay.”
“Internationally, there is insufficient evidence to recommend routine screening for depression and suicide in asymptomatic adults. Doctors are trained to follow up on seniors' presenting medical complaints or symptoms. If there are signs of depression or suicide ideation, they will address accordingly.”
“The annual healthcare research funding allocations by programme type are published on the Ministry of Health's (MOH's) website1. MOH does not publish detailed funding allocations by disease area and research theme.”
“The Agency for Integrated Care refers eligible seniors to subsidised ambulatory services in the community, such as Community Rehabilitation and Day Care. We are working with a range of partners and providers from the private and non-profit sector to provide the bulk of such services. We are currently undertaking a significant effort to coordinate such services with other community services such as Active Ageing Centres and enhanced Home Personal Care services, so that seniors can transit from one setting to another smoothly, and the system operates more efficiently. The Ministry of Health will continue to review and adjust the capacity for Community Rehabilitation and Day Care to ensure seniors' needs are met.”
“We do not track the numbers as the Member has requested. That said, significant funding is available under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Plan, especially in the Human Health and Potential Domain, which goes towards funding research in population health, and healthy and meaningful longevity research. There are many research collaborations between clinicians and other professionals, including engineers, from academia and industry through a range of support structures and initiatives. The Open Fund – Large Collaborative Grant encourages interdisciplinary partnerships across institutions to leverage Singapore's full spectrum of research capabilities. There are also many open innovation platforms and programmes that bring together clinicians with industry partners and engineering talent to accelerate the development, translation and implementation of clinical innovations collaboratively.”
“Writing a medical memo requires the doctor's time and effort to review and summarise the patient's medical status. A fee is therefore charged at the polyclinics for these memos. As a matter of principle, we do not waive charges across the board for polyclinic services, which are already heavily subsidised. However, patients who need more support are able to apply for additional financial assistance. Agencies in charge of respective schemes may also assess whether to fully cover the charges for the schemes they administer.”