Health — Topics | PAPERCUTS

13 May 2013

Hospitalisation of Foreign Domestic Workers

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked about the number of foreign domestic workers hospitalized in the past three years, the range of hospitalization fees, how fees are covered under insurance, and the current medical insurance coverage limit for FDWs.
The government does not provide healthcare subsidies to foreigners, including FDWs, and requires employers to bear full medical costs to avoid passing unpaid bills to taxpayers, with mandatory employer-financed medical insurance for inpatient and day surgery expenses introduced in 2008.
The minimum insurance coverage was raised from $5,000 to $15,000 in 2010, covering 98% of FDW medical bills from 2010 to 2012, and while less than 1% of FDWs were hospitalized annually over the last three years, employers can purchase additional coverage and discuss payment plans for uninsured costs.

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13 May 2013

Portable Medical Insurance

Foo Mee Har raised the issue of making portable medical insurance a norm in Singapore to ensure continuous medical coverage across different life stages, independent of employer schemes.
Gan Kim Yong explained that MediShield already provides portable coverage, including during employment gaps and retirement, with guaranteed renewal regardless of health changes.
As of June 2012, 94% of the population aged 21 to 65 was insured under MediShield, with two-thirds also covered under private Integrated Shield Plans.
The government is reviewing MediShield to keep it relevant and encourages employers to offer portable medical benefits through MediSave contributions or private plans.
This ensures Singaporeans retain medical coverage regardless of employment or health status, addressing the concern raised.

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13 May 2013

Impact of New Bird Flu Strain (H7N9) on Singapore

The Minister for Health explained that the risk of H7N9 and novel coronavirus outbreaks in Singapore remains low due to the absence of sustained human-to-human transmission, with strict import controls, surveillance, and hospital preparedness in place.
Precautionary measures include health advisories for travelers, hospital isolation procedures, and stockpiles of antivirals and personal protective equipment, with the government ready to implement contact tracing and social distancing if needed.
The Minister highlighted that Singapore is better prepared than during the 2003 SARS outbreak, with enhanced healthcare capacity and inter-agency coordination, and emphasized the need for ongoing public education and community vigilance.

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8 Apr 2013

Foreign Nurses in Acute Care Public Hospitals

The Ministry of Health reported that as of 31 December 2012, foreign nurses (excluding Malaysians) constituted about 26% (approximately 4,950) of the public healthcare nursing workforce, a figure maintained to meet healthcare needs despite expansion of local intakes.
Foreign nurses must meet Singapore Nursing Board registration standards and English proficiency requirements, with local assimilation programmes providing basic conversational training in languages like Mandarin, Chinese dialects, and Malay, along with mentorship and teamwork to support patient communication.
The attrition rate for Singaporean nurses in public healthcare clusters decreased from around 13% in 2003 to about 8% in 2012, with the Ministry continuing efforts to improve nurse retention.

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8 Apr 2013

Abortions Carried out in Singapore from 2002 to 2012

Gerald Giam Yean Song requested detailed abortion statistics from 2002 to 2012, categorized by pregnancy weeks and by nationality (Singaporeans, PRs, foreigners).
Gan Kim Yong provided the data in two tables: one showing abortions by trimester (first, second, and after 24 weeks) and another by nationality.
The response included specific figures for abortions in each pregnancy week range and for each nationality group across the 11-year period.
The data was presented on page 153 of the parliamentary record, offering a comprehensive breakdown of the requested information.

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8 Apr 2013

Requirement for Pre-abortion Counselling

Gerald Giam questioned why certain groups of women, such as those without PSLE or with three or more children, are exempt from mandatory pre-abortion counselling.
Gan Kim Yong explained that mandatory counselling was introduced in 1987 to provide information and support, but some criteria may no longer be relevant.
The Ministry of Health has begun a review of the counselling requirements and will consult the public in due course.

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8 Apr 2013

Annual CPF Medisave Account Balances from Accounts of Deceased

Patrick Tay asked the Minister for Health for the average CPF Medisave Account balance left by deceased CPF holders each year from 2008 to 2012.
Gan Kim Yong responded that half of CPF members aged 65 or older who passed away in 2012 had about $2,700 or less in Medisave, with about one-third having less than $1,000.
He noted that some may have benefited from government top-ups and their children's Medisave for healthcare expenses.
The Minister emphasized the need to help Singaporeans maintain adequate Medisave balances for old-age healthcare and MediShield coverage up to age 90.
Unused Medisave balances become part of the total CPF balances bequeathed to the deceased member's family.

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8 Apr 2013

Access to Pay and Tax Records for Processing of MediFund

Minister Gan Kim Yong confirmed that public hospitals can already access patients' CPF and IRAS records with consent to process MediFund and other assistance applications, though CPF data has a $5,000 monthly income cap.
The government is working to integrate full income data from IRAS, targeting implementation by early next year to improve accuracy and reduce patient documentation burden.
While current systems already streamline applications for subsidies and financial counselling, ongoing improvements aim to further minimize administrative hassle for patients and families.

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8 Apr 2013

Prevention of Spread of Diseases

Lim Biow Chuan asked how the Ministry of Health will continue its education programme on personal hygiene and preventing the spread of cough or flu viruses, marking the 10th anniversary of SARS.
Gan Kim Yong stated that since SARS in 2003, the Health Promotion Board has run regular campaigns using mass media, community outreach, school programmes, and partnerships to promote hygiene practices like hand washing and covering coughs.
HPB’s strategies include twice-yearly flu campaigns, workplace and community talks, interactive skits for schools, and initiatives like “Let’s Wash Hands” targeting primary school students and their parents.
HPB also works with community and business partners on tailored programmes, such as for staff at eldercare centres, to teach practical skills like mask use and proper hand washing.
The ministry will keep educating Singaporeans on hygiene to prevent respiratory diseases, while also supporting dengue prevention efforts amid a recent rise in cases.

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8 Apr 2013

Staff Adequacy at Public and Private Hospitals

The Ministry of Health reported improvements in doctor-to-population and nurse-to-population ratios since 2007, with plans to expand the healthcare workforce by about 20,000 by 2020 and 32,000 by 2030 to meet ageing population needs, including enhancing pay and training intakes.
Measures to ensure public hospital staffing include productivity improvements, workforce optimisation, and contingency plans for surges like pandemics, such as reallocating staff and reducing elective surgeries temporarily.
The Ministry is promoting preventive healthcare through health promotion campaigns, screenings, chronic disease management programmes, and a review of financing to support affordable and accessible preventive care.
Recruitment challenges for nursing and allied health courses are being addressed via campaigns and career development initiatives, while efforts are underway to encourage more doctors to specialise in geriatrics and rehabilitation medicine.
Reliance on foreign-trained medical officers is acknowledged, with emphasis on building a core Singaporean workforce and ensuring all foreign professionals meet registration standards and language competency requirements.

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12 Mar 2013

Committee of Supply – Head O (Ministry of Health)

Members expressed concern about the rising cost of healthcare and the adequacy of the current 3M financing framework (MediSave, MediShield, MediFund), urging a major review to enhance affordability, especially for outpatient and long-term care, and to increase the government's share of healthcare expenditure, which the Health Minister confirmed would rise from one-third to about 40%.
Discussions highlighted the need to improve primary and preventive healthcare, including expanding services like polyclinics, CHAS, and mental health support, while addressing manpower shortages and remuneration schemes for healthcare professionals to ensure sustainable and quality care.
The debate also covered specific issues such as the referral system for subsidised care, means-testing processes, use of MediSave for various treatments, and the need for transparency in fee structures, with the Ministry announcing enhancements to MediFund, drug subsidies, and the Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund.

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7 Mar 2013

Prohibition on Medical Practitioners from Practising Moxibustion

Sitoh Yih Pin questioned the rationale behind prohibiting medical practitioners from practising moxibustion.
Gan Kim Yong explained that registered medical practitioners must use evidence-based treatments, and only needle-form acupuncture is accepted in Western medicine due to its strong research base.
Moxibustion and other TCM modalities are not permitted because they lack the same level of scientific validation.

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25 Feb 2013

Recent Spike in Dengue Cases in East Coast

The Minister reported a recent spike in dengue cases in Singapore, particularly in the East Coast/Telok Kurau area, driven by a potential change in circulating virus serotypes and low population herd immunity.
NEA and grassroots groups are conducting intensive inspections, public advisories, and penalties for breeding sites, with a focus on residential homes and construction sites, while emphasizing community responsibility for source elimination.
The Minister noted that fogging is not a primary strategy and is only used in high-risk areas, while ovitraps serve mainly for surveillance; residents are urged to use repellents and mosquito nets to prevent transmission.
A dengue vaccine is not yet ready for large-scale rollout, so Singapore continues to focus on mosquito eradication until a vaccine becomes available.

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7 Feb 2013

MediShield Coverage for Congenital Illness for Persons Diagnosed before March 2013

Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Ministry of Health to extend MediShield coverage to persons with congenital illnesses diagnosed before 1 March 2013, who are excluded from the Marriage and Parenthood Package.
The Ministry responded that MediShield does not cover pre-existing conditions to avoid raising premiums for all, but introduced Medifund Junior to provide financial aid for children with such conditions, targeting families with higher needs.
Phua expressed gratitude for the new measures but stressed that basic healthcare insurance should be a right for all citizens, not just children under 18, and requested clarification on Medifund Junior’s criteria and coverage for adults with congenital conditions.
The Ministry acknowledged the concerns, highlighted the increase in Medifund for those above 18, and committed to ongoing improvements to ensure no Singaporean is deprived of medical services.
Both parties agreed on the need for continued dialogue and potential solutions, such as co-sharing insurance or state support, to address gaps in coverage for congenital and pre-existing conditions.

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6 Feb 2013

Curbing False Claims in Advertisements for Body Detoxication

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah raised concerns about the regulation of body detoxification advertisements, the Ministry’s stance on companies promoting such treatments, and the availability of medical evidence to support detox claims.
The Minister of State for Health clarified that body detoxification lacks medical evidence and outlined three measures: regulation by health authorities, a risk-based approach under the Medicines Act to curb false claims, and licensing restrictions to prevent unqualified persons from performing medical procedures.
Er Dr Lee Bee Wah extended the concern to other health-related advertisements, such as for hair and weight loss, and asked if the Ministry would amend the Act to better protect consumers.
The Minister of State responded that the Ministry is considering revising the Schedule of the Medicines Sale and Advertisement Act to include additional medical conditions and alternative medicine treatments, ensuring public safety against emerging risks.

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6 Feb 2013

Psychological Tests for Foreign Domestic Workers

Mrs Lina Chiam proposed mandatory psychological tests for foreign domestic workers to ensure suitability for work, safeguarding both their well-being and that of employers, citing past incidents and the need to care for the elderly.
The Ministry of Manpower, through Hawazi Daipi, maintained that the current medical examination framework focuses on infectious diseases and general fitness, and it is impractical to prescribe a comprehensive standard for psychological testing.
Employers are encouraged to obtain medical reports and, if concerned, arrange additional tests at their own cost, including psychological screenings, before hiring a foreign domestic worker.

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6 Feb 2013

Auditing Medical Examinations for Foreign Workers

Dr. Chia Shi-Lu inquired about the auditing procedures and robustness of medical examinations for foreign workers, highlighting concerns about inconsistent fitness assessments across different doctors.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary confirmed that employers must arrange medical checks within 14 days of arrival, with MOM reviewing all reports and excluding workers with specific infectious diseases or unfit for work.
Dr. Chia suggested a central database to address variations in fitness assessments, and the Ministry stated it would consider this but noted no urgent need to expand screening due to low failure rates for key diseases.
Pritam Singh raised concerns that work permit renewals only require HIV testing, not a general fitness certification from doctors, but the Ministry replied that six-monthly tests for infectious diseases and objective results already determine work eligibility.

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5 Feb 2013

Success Rates of IVF Treatment

Ms Tan Su Shan asked the Minister for Health about IVF success rates for live births among Singapore women below and above 35 years old.
The Minister responded that the overall success rate for IVF with fresh embryos was 23% based on 2010 data.
For women under 35, the success rate was 34%, while for women 35 and older, it was 14%.
These rates have remained fairly consistent from 2006 to 2010.

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5 Feb 2013

Psychological Well-being of Undergraduate and Graduate Students at Autonomous Universities

Assistant Professor Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Minister for Education about the number of suicides and attempted suicides involving undergraduate and graduate students at Autonomous Universities from 2003 to 2012, and whether these institutions provide adequate resources to promote psychological well-being and awareness among students, faculty, and staff.
Minister Heng Swee Keat reported 25 cases of unnatural deaths at Autonomous Universities over the 10-year period, noting that universities do not have access to coroner’s reports to confirm suicides and that attempted suicides are often not reported to them.
The Minister stated that Autonomous Universities take psychological well-being seriously, offering basic education and publicity campaigns, specialised clinical services like counselling and helplines, and crisis management frameworks, along with additional in-residence support for students living on campus.

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4 Feb 2013

Community Health Assist Scheme

Sitoh Yih Pin proposed simplifying the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) application by pre-qualifying residents of HDB rental flats, 1-room, and 2-room flats.
Gan Kim Yong highlighted that CHAS was enhanced in January 2012 to include Singaporeans aged above 40 with per capita household income of $1,500 or below, using housing type as a proxy for economically inactive households.
The application process has been simplified by removing the need for income documents with consent and using a single household application.
Agencies are actively reaching out to residents in HDB rental and smaller flats to encourage sign-ups and assist with applications, while continuously exploring further simplification and targeting measures.

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