REMARKS BY MR ONG YE KUNG, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND COORDINATING MINISTER FOR SOCIAL POLICIES, AT DOORSTOP INTERVIEW ON HEALTH EFFORTS IN THE NORTH

1.              I would like to update on the health situation in the north of Singapore. As you know, there are three big towns – Yishun, Sembawang and Woodlands.

2.              Our studies show that in the north, the prevalence of chronic illness is actually higher than the rest of Singapore. In fact, the prevalence of diabetes is highest in the north, and in terms of hyperlipidemia and hypertension, they are also higher than the Singapore average. We really do not know the reasons – all this requires deep study. But I think what we can do immediately is to set up all our efforts in population health and preventive health in the north, given that actually the situation here is a little bit worse than other parts of Singapore.

3.              What can we do? We have been discussing with NHG Health, which is looking after this area. There are a few things we can do. Number one, we start with the Health Promotion Board (HPB). In terms of physical activities, we need to step up. HPB is actually discussing with the grassroots advisers on the communities here, to look at where the gaps are. And where there are gaps, where there are residents, zones or estates not as well served, we will introduce more physical activities. Take for example, we find that men usually do not come out as often to exercise. But men do like Zumba Gold as well as resistance bands. These are some of the areas that we have identified as gaps, and we can introduce more activities to encourage more people to be active.

4.              Secondly, a significant initiative that we are going to start in the north is the Community Health Posts (CHPs), but we will enhance it. We call it enhanced CHPs. NHG Health has been planning this for a long time, and I think we are ready to start rolling it out starting next year. It will take a while.

5.              The three towns now have 34 CHPs. Most of them are located in or next to Active Ageing Centres (AACs). NHG Health will first increase the number of CHPs from 34 to 39. More importantly, each of these 39 CHPs will, over time, operate on a more regular basis. Today it is uneven – some open once a week, some every fortnight, some every month. Over time, we hope and are working towards all of them operating once a week. We may do this in phases. I think it is important for residents. Take for example here, at Kampung Admiralty, every week on a Wednesday, the CHP is open, so residents start to know what to expect. And this is what we want to do for all the AACs and all our seniors. That is number two.

6.              Number three is that the things they do need to be broadened and can be enhanced. Today, CHPs largely go by appointments, and there are referral patients discharged from the hospitals into the community, and they check in with CHPs to make sure they are recovering well. But we can do a lot more.

7.              When it comes to population health, it should be a place where people feel comfortable and just walk in. When I walk in, I can ask about my medication. I can talk about how to join Healthier SG. I can ask about what happens after I join Healthier SG – looking at my Health Plan, I want to follow up on what should I do, when is my next vaccination, when is my next health screening, do I need more assessments. CHPs will be manned by nurses, most likely nurse clinicians, and they will be able to support these residents to stay healthy in-between their check-ins with their Healthier SG doctors.

8.              And finally, we will connect CHPs with telehealth and equip them with telehealth. So that for certain patients, when they need to see doctors, they are connected to NHG Health doctors who can give them the right advice and give them prescriptions, who can book new appointments for them or book health screenings for them.

9.              All in all, this is something we are going to roll out actively next year. It will strengthen the community health support and population health intervention in the north of Singapore across the three towns of Yishun, Sembawang and Woodlands.