DPM Heng Says Govt Committed to Providing Affordable & Quality Healthcare as S’pore Population Ages

By
Zhi Hao
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Despite everything, it appears that at the very least, our parents and grandparents will be assured of a stellar future here in Singapore.

So lest you’re unaware, one of the main concerns that faces any ageing population is that of healthcare. After all, increased age is often associated with added vulnerability and a surplus of diseases—notions that more often than not cost a chunk of your bank account.

It’s also why, as my own parent would probably attest to, seniors tend to say, “I would rather die early than suffer in a ward.”

Sickness is already a formidable force to contend with; financial woes just about hammer that nail in the coffin. 

DPM Heng Says Govt Committed to Providing Affordable & Quality Healthcare as S’pore Population Ages

But it appears that our parents’ greatest fears may come to pass.

According to various news reports, the Singaporean government is committed to one thing:

Ensuring affordable and quality healthcare services for the ageing population of Singapore.

Which is nothing short of an early Christmas gift considering how by 2030, a whopping one-quarter of the local population will have reached 65 & above.

According to the news report, the declaration was made by none other than Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Heng Swee Keat, who had highlighted the government’s health-related intentions in a speech on Monday (29 Mar).

Pledging to assist all Singaporeans in keeping an active and healthy lifestyle, DPM Heng also said that they will have access to “affordable, appropriate and quality” healthcare if necessary.

“This is a core tenet of our social compact, and we must continue to uphold as our population ages,” he said.

And in recognition of the ageing population in Singapore, more healthcare support has and will be dedicated to the Pioneer and Merdeka Generations.

“But as our population continues to age, we will need to redouble our efforts in health promotion, and expand our healthcare capacity,” he added.

“This includes expanding our polyclinic network and building more acute and community hospitals. And we are redeveloping the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) campus in Outram.”

We’re All In This Together

Despite their assurances, the Singaporean government has reiterated the need for affiliated Singaporeans to do their part as well.

After all, you can’t help someone else if they’re not willing to put in the work themselves.

“All Singaporeans, including our seniors, must place greater emphasis on staying active and healthy, both in body and mind,” DPM Heng said.

Apart from exercising and sustaining a healthy diet, citizens can also contribute via the age-old methods of social risk pooling or taxes.

“As a society, we must take greater collective responsibility, whether it is through social risk pooling, such as MediShield Life and CareShield Life, or through the taxes that we each contribute so that we can build a fairer and more equitable society for all.”

Advanced Measures

Meanwhile, to achieve their goals, the government is planning to make a career in healthcare more attractive, so as to entice more Singaporeans into joining the healthcare industry.

“Recently at Budget 2021, I announced that nurses, allied health professionals and pharmacists in our public healthcare institutions can look forward to a salary increase,” DPM Heng said.

He has also stated that Singapore will be progressively shifting from healthcare to healthy living, towards better integration of care and towards greater healthcare innovation.

What About The Ageing Population?

Sure, worries about their healthcare costs may have been somewhat culled, but what about Singapore’s plans going into the future?

After all, it is estimated that by 2030, one-quarter of the people here will be over 65-years-old.

Our birth rates, on the other hand, have reached an all-time low, at around 1.1 in 2020.

So with all due respect, things are looking a little shady, right?

Well, not quite.

Starting from 1 July 2022, the statutory retirement age will be changed to 63 years old, and the re-employment age to 68 years old.

As long as you are a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident (PR), and joined your employer before you turned 55 years old, they can’t ask you to retire before you reach the retirement age.

This doesn’t mean all is lost once you reach the retirement age though. You can still choose to keep working if you wish.

Meanwhile, one may also recall the Action Plan for Successful Ageing, a government-launched initiative that kickstarted in 2015.

The plan involves a combination of proactive outreach, preventive health, and active ageing programmes for seniors in every neighbourhood.

Some examples include:

  • Helping seniors work beyond the standard employment age
  • Volunteerism
  • Leading an active lifestyle
  • Further enhancing their skills

So really, the age-old notion of “old is cold” may soon be a thing of the 19th century.

Instead, it will be the new revolutionary notion of “old is gold”.

And as Cristiano Ronaldo has attested to on so many occasions…

They may just outdo folks who’re decades younger than them too.

Feature Image: BlurryMe / Shutterstock.com

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]