Health — Topics | PAPERCUTS

5 Jul 2022

Plans to Ramp Up Manpower Supply for New Eldercare Facilities

The Ministry of Health is addressing the shortage of nurses and allied health workers by enhancing salaries, providing scholarships and training, and implementing job redesign to increase productivity in the community care sector.
Efforts to boost staff supply for new eldercare facilities include launching a campaign to improve the sector's public image and respect, while continuing to complement the local workforce with foreign manpower where necessary.
Healthcare clusters will collaborate with eldercare centres to bring preventive care services to the community, supported by administrative staff and volunteers, as part of the strategy to scale up eldercare capacity by 2025.

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5 Jul 2022

Update on Youth Mental Well-being Network

Dr Wan Rizal sought an update on the Youth Mental Well-being Network and its plans to expand to tackle mental health issues across broader population segments.
Minister Edwin Tong reported that since 2020, over 1,500 individuals have launched more than 20 ground-up projects to support youth mental well-being, with partners like Campus Psy and Young NTUC running peer support programmes.
The network will be expanded beyond youths to benefit the wider population as part of the national Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being.
The expanded network will be chaired by Minister of State Alvin Tan with support from Minister of State Sun Xueling and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam.
In the coming months, the network will bring stakeholders together to collaborate on issues identified by the Interagency Taskforce, aiming to strengthen whole-of-society partnerships for a caring and inclusive society.

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5 Jul 2022

Update on Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being and Programmes to Improve Mental Health Literacy

The Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being has developed 12 preliminary recommendations across three focus areas: improving mental health services, strengthening youth mental well-being, and enhancing workplace well-being, with a public consultation underway to refine these into a national strategy.
Key initiatives include creating first-stop touchpoints for services, standardising care coordination, launching the "It's OKAY to Reach Out" campaign and MindSG portal to boost mental health literacy, and providing resources like a parents' toolbox and workplace support measures.
For elderly mental health, the government is integrating it with chronic care, running programmes like "Live Well, Age Well," and ensuring crisis support via the IMH helpline and community teams, while emphasising that restructured hospitals are equipped to handle cases and expanding community-based networks to reduce reliance on IMH.

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5 Jul 2022

Monitoring of and Measures to Minimise Spread of Monkeypox and Emerging Communicable Diseases in Singapore

The Ministry of Health outlined border detection measures and emphasized that for a potential outbreak, contact tracing, quarantine, and personal hygiene would be key, with smallpox vaccination considered only for high-risk groups like healthcare workers due to significant side effects outweighing benefits for the general public.
Officials clarified that monkeypox spreads through prolonged physical contact, not sexually, and while mutation is possible, current risk remains low; the virus disproportionately affected men who have sex with men in recent outbreaks, but no specific advisories target this community beyond general precautions.
To control emerging diseases like monkeypox and tuberculosis, the Ministry plans enhanced preventive measures, including limited vaccination for vulnerable groups such as frontline staff and the elderly, alongside community education on risk factors and symptoms.

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5 Jul 2022

Effect of New Insurance Coverage Limits on Cancer Patients and Their Treatments

The government has introduced a Cancer Drug List (CDL) under MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans to curb rising drug costs, securing average price reductions of 30% and enabling subsidies for 66 additional drugs, with the CDL updated every four months and covering 90% of treatments in public institutions.
For exceptional cases where patients need non-CDL drugs, doctors can prescribe them based on clinical evidence and must justify decisions, with patients having options such as appealing to ACE, transferring to subsidized public care, or using private insurance riders.
Regulatory oversight by MOH and MAS ensures insurers handle claims fairly, while premium adjustments are commercially driven but aims to moderate increases long-term, with measures in place for patients facing affordability issues.

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5 Jul 2022

Adequacy of Healthcare Settings to Handle Next COVID-19 Wave and Steps to Reduce Infection Rate Given Increase in Omicron Variants

The Minister outlined a dual strategy of maintaining high vaccination and booster coverage—particularly for seniors—and preparing healthcare facilities, including reconfiguring COVID-19 Treatment Facilities, to manage an expected increase in cases from Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 without tightening safe management measures unless necessary.
He urged seniors, especially those aged 60 and above, to take their first booster and those aged 80 and above to take a second booster, with mobile vaccination teams deployed and reminders sent to encourage uptake, noting that over 60,000 seniors remain unboosted.
The Minister confirmed that BA.4 and BA.5 now account for about 50% of infections and are doubling weekly, but the current wave is expected to be milder than the previous Omicron wave due to higher immunity, with hospitalizations around 700 and plans to reduce elective surgeries by about 4%.
He stated that while bivalent vaccines targeting Omicron are in development and could be available by year-end, eligible individuals should not delay getting current boosters, and healthcare institutions are managing capacity by repurposing facilities and enhancing access to oral antivirals.
On healthcare workforce, the Minister said attrition rates are comparable to pre-COVID levels, but recruiting foreign nurses is challenging due to global competition; efforts are being made to expand local nursing education and mid-career conversions while maintaining competitive pay and pathways to permanent residency.

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4 Jul 2022

Government Spending on Subsidising COVID-19 Patients for Various Treatments since Start of Pandemic

Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Health for the total amount spent on subsidising in-patient and outpatient treatments for COVID-19 patients since the pandemic began.
She also inquired whether there are plans to reduce the number of Public Health Preparedness Clinics.
Minister Ong Ye Kung responded that he would address the questions in a reply to other Members of Parliament on 5 July 2022.

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4 Jul 2022

Current Supply of Urgent Respite Care Services and Possibility for Increase to Capacity

Tin Pei Ling inquired about the sufficiency of current urgent respite care services and whether capacity could be expanded.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung stated that providers generally meet demand by activating existing long-term care capacity, with the Agency for Integrated Care prioritising urgent cases.
The Ministry of Health is reviewing the respite care landscape to improve availability and accessibility.

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4 Jul 2022

New Limits on Insurance Coverage and MediSave Usage for Cancer Drugs and Impact on Doctors' Treatment Decisions

Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Ministry of Health about the impact of new limits on insurance and MediSave usage for cancer drugs on doctors' clinical decisions and patient care for less common cancers.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung stated that his response would be provided in a later reply to Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Mr Yip Hon Weng on 5 July 2022.

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4 Jul 2022

Increasing MediSave Additional Withdrawal Limits for Private Insurance Premiums for CPF Members with Ample MediSave Savings

Joan Pereira proposed raising the MediSave Additional Withdrawal Limits (AWLs) for private insurance premiums under Integrated Shield Plans, especially for CPF members with ample MediSave savings.
Ong Ye Kung explained that AWLs currently range from $300 to $900, with higher limits for older policyholders, and are designed to balance support for optional private insurance with preserving MediSave for future healthcare needs.
He noted that IP premiums can rise quickly and may be unexpected, making it important to conserve MediSave savings for other old-age healthcare expenses.
The Ministry of Health is continuously reviewing healthcare financing policies, including MediSave usage, as new data and evidence emerge.

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4 Jul 2022

Possibility of Differentiated Subsidies for Healthcare for Expecting Foreign Spouses of Singapore Citizens

Tin Pei Ling asked if differentiated healthcare subsidies could be provided to expecting foreign spouses of Singapore citizens for gynaecological care.
The Health Minister explained that subsidies are currently based on individual citizenship status, not spouse’s status, but Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus (LTVP+) holders receive subsidies at PR levels for inpatient services including obstetrics and gynaecology since 2012.
Singapore citizens and PRs can use MediSave to cover pre-delivery and delivery expenses for their foreign spouses up to prevailing withdrawal limits.
Financially needy patients may seek help from medical social workers for assistance, charity funds, or instalment plans based on assessment.

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4 Jul 2022

Provision of Training and Assistance to Polyclinics and GPs to See Patients with Intellectual Disability for Basic Healthcare Treatment

Christopher de Souza inquired about the training and assistance available for polyclinics and general practitioners to treat patients with intellectual disabilities for basic healthcare needs such as flu, fever, and coughs.
The Ministry of Health ensures that medical students receive training to care for persons with intellectual disabilities as part of local undergraduate education.
MOH collaborates with the College of Family Physicians Singapore to offer a Family Practice Skills Course to enhance medical practitioners' ability to manage the physical health and behavioral concerns of these patients in primary care settings.

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4 Jul 2022

Plans to Enhance EMBRACE Programme to Mitigate Ante- and Post-natal Mental Health Depression for Mothers

The EMBRACE programme, piloted at Yishun Polyclinic since September 2020, provides integrated mother-child services including maternal health screenings and child developmental checks.
The Child and Maternal Health and Well-being Taskforce recommends scaling up the mother-child dyad service model to 12 more polyclinics and expanding EMBRACE to all NHGP polyclinics.
Ante-natal and post-natal mental health screenings for mothers will be scaled up at KKH and NUH to identify at-risk women early and provide timely intervention and support.

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4 Jul 2022

Enhancing Availability and Affordability of Seamless Wheelchair-accessible Travel Options and Expanding List of Eligible Destinations Beyond Hospitals

Yip Hon Weng asked the Ministry of Health to collaborate with private-hire platforms to improve the availability and affordability of wheelchair-accessible transport and to extend eligible destinations beyond hospitals.
The Government supports seniors and wheelchair users through subsidized services like the Medical Escort and Transport scheme and VWO transport subsidies for programs.
Private operators offer point-to-point services, but their availability and pricing depend on business decisions, and MOH will monitor options to ensure accessibility.

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4 Jul 2022

Further Measures to Detect, Prevent or Reduce Risk of Monkeypox Virus Transmission on Inbound Flights or Travel into Singapore and Safeguards in Place at Checkpoints

The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore collaborate with the Ministry of Health to maintain safeguards for travellers and aviation workers, including using aircraft air filtration systems and requiring masks for travellers over age six.
Inbound travellers must submit a health declaration before immigration, with unwell passengers referred to a Health Screening Station for assessment, and health alerts are provided to raise awareness about monkeypox and promote hygiene precautions.
Frontline airport workers are required to wear surgical masks, with additional PPE for high-risk interactions, and procedures are in place for vigilance and contact tracing if an infected case is detected.

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4 Jul 2022

Common Reasons for Rejecting Admission Requests at Restructured Hospitals

Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for Health about the common reasons for rejecting inpatient admission requests at restructured hospitals from 2017 to date and whether there is sufficient hospital capacity for the aging population.
Ong Ye Kung stated that admissions are only for patients assessed to require inpatient treatment, and no patient is denied hospitalization based on age if medically necessary.
The Ministry of Health is actively increasing acute hospital capacity and expanding community hospitals, home care, and primary care services to meet the growing needs of the aging population.

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4 Jul 2022

Approach to Concept of Personalised Health Diagnostics and Precision Treatment for Better Outcomes

The Ministry of Health is advancing precision health through the PRECISE research program to develop cost-effective clinical applications for early disease detection and personalized treatment.
Ethical guidelines and regulations, such as the 2018 Code of Practice and new Clinical Genetics Regulations under the Healthcare Services Act, are being implemented to govern genetic testing services.
To ensure inclusivity, a moratorium was introduced in 2021 preventing insurance companies from using genetic test results for underwriting, addressing potential coverage discrimination.

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4 Jul 2022

Average Waiting Times for Various Assessments of Special Needs Children

Mr Shawn Huang asked about average waiting times for screening and assessment of special needs children, specifically for the Development Support and Learning Support programme and at the Child Development Programme in KKH and NUH.
The minister explained that children are generally screened within four weeks of referral by educators to a Learning Support Educator under the DS-LS programme.
After screening, children needing allied health intervention are referred to CDP at KKH or NUH, with an average waiting time of three to four weeks for the first medical consultation.

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4 Jul 2022

Employees Trained as Mental Health First Responders

Edward Chia Bing Hui asked whether the Ministry of Manpower has set targets for the number of workers trained as mental health first responders, including the rationale and timeline.
Tan See Leng explained that mental health first responders are trained to identify mental distress, provide initial support, and guide colleagues to professional help.
The Workplace Safety and Health Council offers free mental well-being workshops, with around 60 participants trained so far, and plans to promote further adoption.
The Ministry of Manpower does not set specific targets but encourages companies to adopt mental well-being initiatives suited to their needs.

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4 Jul 2022

Number and Percentage of Doctors Resigning from Public Hospitals Within Their Bond Periods in Past Five Years

Louis Ng asked for annual data on the number and percentage of doctors resigning from public hospitals within one, two, and three years of completing their bonds over the past five years.
Ong Ye Kung responded that MOH only tracks attrition by age group, noting rates for 29-, 30-, and 31-year-old doctors fluctuated between 2017 and 2021, with a general decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister attributed attrition to factors like morale, job satisfaction, work conditions, and a sense of mission, and pledged continued monitoring and engagement to address issues.

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