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SINGAPORE – Steady progress has been made on Singapore’s vaccination program, with more than 350,000 Singaporeans, including around 80 percent of healthcare workers, already receiving their first injection of the Covid-19 vaccine a starting Thursday (March 4).
About 215,000 have received their second dose, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said in Parliament on Friday (March 5) during the debate on his ministry’s budget.
More than 40,000 people aged 70 and over have also received their first dose, and the Ministry of Health will implement these jabs for people aged 60 and over starting later this month.
With vaccination operations critical for Singapore this year, a vaccination center will be built in each city from mid-March.
The Covid-19 situation remains stable in the country, Gan said, with one or two new community cases every day.
As the country continues to emerge from the pandemic, longer-term health care issues, such as providing better, more accessible, affordable care, as well as stretching the health dollar, will remain key.
For example, primary care will be strengthened with the construction of 12 new polyclinics, bringing the total number of polyclinics to 32 by 2030.
To make healthcare more accessible to seniors, community nursing teams have expanded to cover 29 regions across the island since September 2020, with a total of 185 community nursing positions.
The government has also been spending more on health care due to the country’s aging population, Gan said.
Its share of national spending on health increased from 40% in 2013 to 46% in 2018.
While expenditures are expected to increase in the future, the government will have to be prudent in how it allocates these resources to ensure support is aimed at benefiting those most in need, Gan said.
The government will also continue to improve the profitability and efficiency of the health system, said Mr. Gan.
For example, the Agency for Efficacy of Care, established by the Ministry of Health in 2015, has enabled the Government to save $ 300 million since 2016. This has helped benefit more than 375,000 patients.
The Logistics Procurement and Supply Agency has also managed to save around $ 180 million in two years by driving economies of scale through group acquisitions.
Gan also stressed that lower income households will be supported and that health care must be kept affordable, especially for lower income patients.
He noted that the amount of subsidies received per household for the lowest income quintile has increased by more than 70 percent from 2013 to 2018.
Subsidies will also be more specific, with those for acute care hospitals aligned with per capita household income rather than relying on personal income, Gan said.
This more reflects the needs of the patient, he said.
Finally, personal responsibility remains critical to managing healthcare costs, and all Singaporeans are required to attend regular medical exams, get vaccinated, and adopt healthy lifestyle habits.
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