Health

3,662 debates and bills about health

7 May 2026

Impact of Vice Activities Operating under Guise of TCM Services on Legitimate Practitioners

Vice activities under TCM guise harm legitimate practitioners and the sector.
MOH and TCMPB cooperate with police to identify errant practitioners.
Since 2018, four cases disciplined, with penalties from suspension to cancellation.

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7 May 2026

Regulations to Prevent Insurers from Denying Claims on Newer Procedures Not Explicitly Listed in Legacy Policy Wording

MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans follow MOH's regularly updated surgical procedure table.
Existing critical illness policies exclude newer procedures; LIA studies allowing premium-adjusted upgrades.
Consumers should review coverage, with early-stage plans covering broader modern treatments.

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7 May 2026

Physical and Mental Health Conditions of Children Born Via In-vitro Fertilisation Compared to Naturally-conceived Children

No long-term Singapore studies compare IVF children's health to naturally conceived ones.
MOH confirms lack of evidence on physical or mental outcomes.

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7 May 2026

Measures to Prevent Unregistered Individuals and Companies That Hire Them from Offering Counselling and Therapy Services

New law protects psychologist job titles, reserving them for registered practitioners only.
Public register and awareness campaigns help clients identify qualified professionals.
Enforcement by AHPC penalizes unregistered practitioners falsely claiming registration.

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7 May 2026

Data on Annual Premiums of Medical Insurance Policies for EP holders by Percentile, and Mandating Companies to Provide Medical Insurance Coverage

MOM does not track annual medical insurance premiums for Employment Pass holders.
No mandate for employers to provide coverage, as higher salaries enable self-insurance.

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7 May 2026

Average Waiting Times at Polyclinics for Walk-in Patients and Plans to Redistribute Patient Load

Polyclinic walk-in wait times improved: median 8 minutes, 95th percentile 72 minutes.
MOH promotes scheduled appointments to manage patient flow while reserving capacity for walk-ins.
Load redistribution includes rescheduling non-urgent cases and directing patients to CHAS GP clinics.

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6 May 2026

CPF Reduced Life Expectancy Scheme Awareness Levels Among Eligible End-of-Life Patients

CPF Board publishes RLE scheme info, offers brochures at public healthcare institutions where patients apply.
About 2,000 RLE applications received annually from 2023 to 2025.
Streamlining by using existing clinical records of palliative patients speeds up approval.

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6 May 2026

Plans to Extend Project Wolbachia to Kovan and Lorong Ah Soo Estates

Wolbachia expansion prioritised by dengue risk: history, mosquito population, landscape.
Kovan and Lorong Ah Soo dates unconfirmed; NEA monitors and updates stakeholders.

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6 May 2026

Evaluating Cost-effectiveness of Broader Continuous Glucose Monitoring Adoption and Plans to Expand Subsidies

MOH will review CGM subsidies beyond Type 1 diabetes, assessing Type 2 subgroups.
Expansion depends on proven clinical and cost effectiveness for patients.
Supplier prices remain high due to Singapore’s small market and high-income status.

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6 May 2026

Allocated Funding, Implementation Timeline and Existing Trained Workforce to Meet Palliative Care Competency Training Targets

Palliative care training uses existing budgets; no new specific funding allocated.
MOH doesn't track current trained workers; training is embedded in healthcare education.
Progress toward 10,000 trained healthcare workers by 2030 will be planned and monitored.

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6 May 2026

Annual Milestones and Outcome Indicators for the 10,000 Palliative Care Competency Training Target by 2030

No annual milestones given; MOH tracks progress toward 10,000 trained by 2030.
Outcome indicators include palliative care uptake in last year (51%) and hospital deaths (~60%).
Aims to ensure workforce expertise supports patient-preferred care locations.

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6 May 2026

Regulatory Framework for AI-developed Drugs and Implications on Clinical Trials, and Adequacy of Data Protection Safeguards for National Patient Data

AI-developed drugs must meet same quality, safety, and efficacy standards as conventional drugs.
Regulatory approach aligns with international agencies like FDA and EMA.
Patient data protected under PDPA and cybersecurity safeguards when used for AI.

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6 May 2026

Assessing TraceTogether's Contribution to COVID-19 Contact Tracing, Total Programme Cost and Lessons for Future Digital Tracing

Records were deleted, so no detailed case breakdown; TraceTogether supplemented tracing with about 600,000 quarantine orders.
High COVID-19 transmissibility made manual tracing insufficient; technology helped achieve low fatalities and strong recovery.
Total programme cost about $180 million, mostly for tokens; no retrospective cost-effectiveness evaluation was published.

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6 May 2026

Supporting Youths with Gender Dysphoria

Government treats gender dysphoria as a clinical condition, requiring psychiatrist diagnosis and evidence-based multidisciplinary care.
Under 18: psychological support only, no hormones or surgery; 18-20: hormones only in exceptional cases with consent.
Counselling guidelines mandate non-judgmental, objective care focusing on youth well-being, avoiding predetermined outcomes.

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6 May 2026

Insights on Older Mothers' Maternal and Child Health and Implications for Workforce Participation

Older mothers face higher maternal and fetal risks; public hospitals offer specialized high-risk pregnancy care.
Government reviews fertility funding and provides job matching, career conversion, and flexible work guidelines.
New parenthood reset workgroup will develop long-term roadmap for support.

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6 May 2026

Schools' Protocol when Students Sustain Mobility-impairing Injuries

Schools give first aid, notify parents, and call ambulances only for serious emergencies like heavy bleeding or head injuries.
Non-emergency cases may use alternative transport to clinics or hospitals, with decisions made in consultation with parents.

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6 May 2026

Profile of Recent Measles Cases In Terms of Vaccination Status and Age Group

31 measles cases: 2 tourists, 29 residents, mostly unvaccinated or unknown status.
Five infants under 12 months too young for MMR; one fully vaccinated case.
Two-dose MMR gives strong protection; unvaccinated should complete national schedule.

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6 May 2026

Impact of Healthpoint Rewards and Other Incentives for Blood Donation on Donor Behaviour

Healthpoints is a small token of appreciation, consistent with WHO's definition of voluntary non-remunerated donation.
Minister deemed it inconceivable that Healthpoints would be a primary motivation for blood donors.

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6 May 2026

Non-medical Costs Borne by Families Receiving Home-based Palliative Care

MP asked about non-medical costs like transport, diapers, caregiving, and lost income for home palliative care families.
Government enhanced means-tested subsidies and removed MediSave withdrawal limits since 2024.
Patients can tap CPF Reduced Life Expectancy scheme to cover residual non-medical expenses.

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6 May 2026

Median Waiting Times for Patients Seeking Support for Common Mental Health Conditions Through Primary Care

Median wait for non-urgent mental health clinic referrals is 23 days in 2025.
Urgent or complex cases get earlier appointments or emergency care.
Community services offer assessments/counselling without referrals; MOH expanding capacity.

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