Health and Wellness

Our current health status

Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies globally.

We made progress in reducing the prevalence of high cholesterol and diabetes.

Read more: National Population Health Survey 2023

Preventive health and support for healthier lifestyles

Supporting healthier lifestyles

An active and healthy lifestyle is key to reducing the risk of chronic diseases. To encourage Singaporeans to be active and healthy, a range of sports facilities and physical activity programmes, including health assessments and coaching workshops, are available islandwide.

In 2023, total regular participation in sport and exercise increased to 73%, up from 66% in 2019.

Excessive sugar, sodium, and saturated fat consumption are key risk factors for chronic diseases. We will continue to support Singaporeans in making informed choices.

• Nutri-Grade labelling requirements and advertising prohibitions reduced the median sugar level of prepackaged drinks from 7.1% in Financial Year (FY) 2017 to 4.6% in FY2023, and increased the percentage of healthier beverages graded “A” or “B” purchased from 37% in FY2017 to 71% in FY2023.

• Movements such as “Siu Dai by default” and “Less Salt, More Taste” encourage food and manufacturing sectors to offer food and drinks that are lower in sugar and sodium.

• We plan to extend Nutri-Grade measures to prepacked salt, sauces and seasonings, instant noodles, and cooking oil.

Read more: Nutrition Hub | Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge

Tobacco use is another key risk factor for chronic diseases. We have employed a multi-pronged strategy towards a nicotine-free Singapore. Our cigarette smoking prevalence is one of the lowest in the world, dropping from 10.6% in 2019 to 8.8% in 2023.

However, the rise in vaping is an increasing concern worldwide. In Singapore, a high number of vaping-related offences was observed in the last few years, rising from about 7,600 cases in 2021 to 8,000 cases in 2023. We have stepped up enforcement and education measures to prevent vaping from taking hold in Singapore. These include:

• Disrupting the sales and supply of e-vaporisers through measures such as tighter border enforcement and restrictions on online sales and advertisements.

• Enhancing preventive education in the community, including through our educational institutions.

• Reviewing legal penalties for e-vaporiser-related offences to ensure continued strong deterrence.

Boosting mental health support

Overall, the prevalence of self-reported poor mental health decreased in 2023, bucking its upward trend since 2017. More residents expressed willingness to seek help over the years. This was contributed by:

• Reductions in stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic as the nation transitioned to endemicity.

• Public education efforts to encourage seeking help early and reduce stigma towards mental health, such as the It’s OKAY to Reach Out and Beyond the Label campaigns.

• Enhanced mental health access and support through initiatives such as the Well-Being Circles and community mental health teams.

We stepped up efforts to support mental health by launching the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy [PDF, 3.5 MB] in 2023, focusing on four areas.

Read more: Quality Jobs | Family | Retirement | Social Safety Nets

Overcoming healthcare constraints and challenges

Ensuring healthcare affordability

Healthcare expenditure has been rising due to our ageing population, advancements in medical technology, and healthcare cost inflation, with a spike between 2019 and 2021 driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government subsidies, MediShield Life, and MediSave coverage have helped reduce out-of-pocket (OOP) costs borne by individuals. The share of OOP costs decreased by 8.7 percentage points from 2017 to 2021. From 2020 to 2021, extensive COVID-19 pandemic-related subsidies further defrayed OOP costs.

Healthcare remains affordable across care settings through improvements to subsidies, MediShield Life, and MediSave.

• In 2024, we introduced the Healthier SG Chronic Tier to provide enhanced subsidies for selected chronic medications at Healthier SG General Practitioner clinics, benefitting approximately two-thirds of Community Health Assist Scheme, Pioneer Generation, and Merdeka Generation chronic enrolees.

• In October 2024, we revised the monthly per capita household income (PCHI) thresholds for means-tested healthcare subsidy schemes and grants, taking into consideration changes in household incomes and healthcare costs. Up to 1.1 million residents are expected to benefit from the revised PCHI thresholds.

• As part of the MediShield Life 2024 Review, we will be increasing claim limits to continue covering nine in 10 subsidised bills, and expanding outpatient coverage.

Read more: Retirement | Social Safety Nets

Optimising our health system for capacity sufficiency and right-siting

Median wait times for adults in public hospitals have risen sharply since 2021. This was due to our ageing population and the growing number of patients with complex health needs. Delays in healthcare infrastructure projects due to the COVID-19 pandemic also worsened the situation.

We continued to invest in our healthcare infrastructure to ensure sufficient capacity.

We made better use of our hospital capacity through new models of care, such as the Mobile Inpatient Care at Home (MIC@Home).

Feature Story: MIC@Home

The MIC@Home sandbox was launched in April 2022 to provide inpatient acute care for patients in their homes through teleconsultations and home visits by healthcare professionals. As at March 2024, more than 2,500 patients opted for this service. Collectively, this reduced patients’ hospital stays by more than 15,000 bed-days.

Transformations for a future-ready healthcare system

Empowering our healthcare professionals

A strong healthcare workforce remains the core of our healthcare system. We have progressively strengthened support for their development and well-being:

• Increased the salaries of public healthcare workers in 2023 and 2024, and published salary benchmarks for the community care sector in February 2024. We will continue to review the salaries so they remain competitive.

• Launched the Tripartite Framework for the Prevention of Abuse and Harassment in Healthcare in December 2023, to reinforce safe and conducive working environments for our healthcare workers.

Read more: Quality Jobs

Implementing smart health initiatives and strong governance

As care needs become more complex, we are integrating services for seamless patient-centric healthcare.

• To facilitate easier access to preventive healthcare, the Health Appointment System allows patients to make direct bookings for consultations, health screenings, and vaccinations at eligible clinics.

• The HealthHub app was updated in July 2023 so that Singaporeans can easily enrol and view their Healthier SG Health Plans. As at September 2024, close to 50% of Healthier SG enrolments were carried out via HealthHub.

• Enhancements to public healthcare IT systems will unify patients’ electronic medical records, and consolidate our pharmacy and billing systems across different care settings. With integrated patient data, healthcare providers can make more informed decisions and provide better care services to their patients.

• The Health Information Bill will mandate the contribution of selected health information to the National Electronic Health Record to further integrate patient data across the healthcare ecosystem for more seamless care. It also aims to strengthen the cybersecurity and data security of healthcare institutions.

Read more: Government and Regulations | Cybersecurity and Digital Resilience

Strengthening public health defences

COVID-19 will not be the last disease outbreak. The recurrence of dengue and tuberculosis outbreaks serve as strong reminders.

We continued the fight against dengue through an integrated surveillance and control programme, which included source reduction, public outreach, and novel vector control tools like Project Wolbachia.

Feature Story: Project Wolbachia trials at various neighbourhoods across Singapore have seen promising results

• As at August 2024, all study sites observed an 80% to 90% reduction in Aedes aegypti population after six to 12 months of Wolbachia releases.

• Between 2019 and 2022, residents living in areas* with at least one year of Project Wolbachia deployment were up to 77% less likely to be infected with dengue.

• Between 2022 and March 2024, Project Wolbachia was expanded to 14 additional sites, covering approximately 35% of households (about 480,000 households) in Singapore.

*Study sites were chosen based on past dengue data and mosquito population.

Read more: Wolbachia-Aedes Mosquito Suppression Strategy

We will strengthen our readiness against future infectious disease outbreaks.

• The Communicable Diseases Agency will be established in 2025 to lead and consolidate the Government’s public health capabilities for preventing and controlling infectious diseases.

• A new volunteer-based Healthcare Reserve Force will be established over the next three years to reinforce operational manpower during a healthcare crisis.

Read more: White Paper on Singapore’s Response to COVID-19

Read more: Housing and Amenities | Environment and Sustainability

Going beyond healthcare, to good health for all

Living healthily allows us to enjoy our time with family and loved ones. Healthier SG and Age Well SG, launched in 2023, reinforce these efforts. With the support of healthcare, social, and community partners, we will continue to strengthen our health system and ensure that quality healthcare remains affordable and accessible for all.

Read more: Retirement | Spirit of Forward Singapore

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