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MOH's mission is to promote good health and reduce illness,
ensure that Singaporeans have access to good and affordable
healthcare that is appropriate to needs, and pursue medical
excellence. A total budget of $2.24 billion has been allocated
to MOH in FY2004 to achieve this mission.
MOH will continue to provide subsidies for healthcare services
provided by restructured hospitals and polyclinics so that
Singaporeans can continue to enjoy good and affordable healthcare.
MOH will also fund the development of new services and medical
capabilities, training (at both undergraduate and postgraduate
levels for doctors, nurses and paramedicals) and research.
As part of the drive to promote good health and reduce illness,
educating and providing information to the public on how they
can maintain good healthy lifestyles, including disease prevention
and control programmes, will remain a key priority for the
Ministry.
$1,298 million is set aside as subsidies for Singaporeans
requiring healthcare services provided at:
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Primary care. 17 polyclinics under Singapore
Health Services and National Healthcare Group clusters.
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Step-down care. 64 voluntary welfare organisations,
including nursing homes, community hospitals, day care
for the elderly, hospices, etc.
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Secondary and Tertiary care (e.g. Specialist Outpatient
Clinics and inpatient care). 13 public hospitals
and healthcare institutions under Singapore Health Services
and National Healthcare Group clusters.
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The amount also caters for additional increase in cost due
to the new measures put in place at the healthcare institutions
for prevention, containment and control of SARS and other
disease outbreaks.
$135 million is allocated for specific national programmes
such as the Health Services Development Programme (HSDP).
The HSDP augments existing funding for new medical capability
development in our public healthcare system. Provisions have
also been made to promote continual training of our medical
undergraduates and specialists, para-medical and allied health
professionals.
$99 million is set aside for health promotion initiatives
under Health Promotion Board (HPB). These include public education
programmes to strengthen preventive healthcare and promote
good health to prevent the onset of chronic diseases. Some
of HPB’s programmes are the National Healthy Lifestyle
Programme, National Smoking Control Programme, Workplace Health
Promotion Programme, Nutrition Programme, Mental Health Promotion
Programme, National Myopia Prevention Programme, School Health
Programme, Secondary Schools Dental Care Programme and the
National Cancer Screening Programme for Women.
i) ElderShield
ElderShield is an affordable severe disability insurance
scheme to provide insurance coverage for elderly Singaporeans
who require long-term care. ElderShield will provide them
with basic financial protection and help them defray out-of-pocket
expenses in the event of severe disabilities.
$23 million is set aside to help the elderly pay for ElderShield
premiums for the third year of ElderShield implementation.
ii) Interim Disability Assistance Programme
For Singaporeans who are not eligible to join ElderShield
due to age limit or pre-existing disabilities, the Interim
Disability Assistance Programme, or IDAPE, provides the desired
medical coverage for the long-term care required.
$14 million is set aside as subsidy payout for Singaporeans
under IDAPE in the third year of implementation.
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