Health

3,662 debates and bills about health

11 Sep 2012

Support for Frail Elderly and their Care-givers

Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked for updates on measures for frail elderly and caregivers, including progress on building Integrated Day Facilities (IDFs) and support for sandwich-generation caregivers in their 50s-60s.
The Acting Minister announced initiatives like 40 IDFs by 2016 (with two new ones in Tampines and Toa Payoh by mid-2013), home-based care services, a Foreign Domestic Worker Grant, and expanded Seniors Activity Centres.
The Ministry will consider demographic needs, existing services, and community engagement in planning IDF locations, with details on remaining sites to be announced soon.
The Minister acknowledged the specific challenges faced by sandwich-generation caregivers and committed to exploring additional support schemes for them in the coming months.

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10 Sep 2012

Ms Sylvia Lim proposed raising the CHAS annual value limit above $13,000 to include more economically inactive elderly in non-premium private and landed properties.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong explained that the $13,000 annual value criterion targets subsidies effectively, with over 80% of non-working households qualifying.
The Ministry of Health considers appeals sympathetically for households exceeding the annual value cap due to extenuating circumstances.
The government reviews CHAS eligibility criteria periodically to ensure subsidies reach those most in need.

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10 Sep 2012

Dr Janil Puthucheary asked if the Ministry of Health would review its stance on banning tobacco sales to those born after 2000, following Tasmania's similar proposal.
Minister Gan Kim Yong stated that Singapore will not pursue a cohort ban due to practical difficulties, enforcement risks, and concerns about circumvention.
The government aims to further reduce smoking through public education, legislative measures, and programs like YAH and LIUWLU.

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10 Sep 2012

From 2006 to 2011, less than 1% of MediShield policyholders had their policies lapse each year due to non-payment of premiums, primarily because of insufficient Medisave balances.
The CPF Board sends up to three reminders and provides a two-month grace period to help policyholders top up their Medisave or have family members pay premiums before lapsing.
Policyholders can re-enrol in MediShield if their health status has not changed, and fewer than 1% of the resident population is unable to obtain cover due to pre-existing conditions.
The government supports premium payments through Medisave top-ups, premium rebates for elderly policyholders, and additional schemes like Workfare and GST Vouchers, totaling about $2.6 billion from 2005 to 2011.
Those facing financial difficulties after their policies lapse can seek assistance from medical social workers at public healthcare institutions.

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10 Sep 2012

Mr. Zainal Sapari asked for the number of National Servicemen diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, their PES classification, historical enlistment data, and the support provided for their training.
There are currently 41 full-time and 61 operationally-ready National Servicemen with Asperger’s Syndrome, all assigned to PES C or lower based on their social and vocational abilities.
From 2007 to 2011, 55 pre-enlistees with Asperger’s Syndrome were enlisted, with yearly numbers ranging from five to 15.
The SAF provides professional support through psychiatrists, psychologists, and counsellors who collaborate with commanders to develop interpersonal and vocational skills for these servicemen.

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10 Sep 2012

The Minister for Health, Mr Gan Kim Yong, introduced the Voluntary Sterilization (Amendment) Bill to update the existing Act.
The bill aims to revise the legal framework governing voluntary sterilization procedures in Singapore.
It was presented for the first time and scheduled for a second reading in the next parliamentary sitting.
The amendment reflects ongoing legislative efforts to ensure healthcare laws remain relevant.
The debate focused on procedural formalities rather than substantive policy changes at this initial stage.

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10 Sep 2012

The Singapore Medical Council holds the Qualifying Examination (QE) once a year for Singapore citizens with degrees from non-recognized medical schools, with about 10 candidates annually and a 17% pass rate.
The QE is labor-intensive and tied to NUS's final-year medical exams, limiting capacity and causing potential wait times of up to two years for candidates seeking to practice.
Officials recommend alternative pathways like post-graduate exams (e.g., MRCP UK) for conditional registration, but these require prior training, leaving some graduates in a difficult position.

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