SINGAPORE: More than 24,000 people have pre-enrolled for the Healthier SG programme with their regular doctors, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Tuesday (May 30).
This number is better than expected and bodes well for the formal launch of the programme in July, he said.
Mr Ong was speaking at the opening of Fullerton Health’s new health screening centre in Novena.
Unveiled in 2022, Healthier SG focuses heavily on preventive care and aims to have Singaporeans and permanent residents take charge of their own healthcare by enrolling with a single doctor who will support them in their health needs throughout their lives.
“As of yesterday, over 24,000 individuals have pre-enrolled with their regular GPs (general practitioners). The number is higher than what I had expected,” Mr Ong said.
“GPs told me that these patients have enrolled with little persuasion. So I think the message of preventive care and managing diseases proactively has resonated. If anything, our package of benefits under Healthier SG is working so far.”
With the “good momentum” for pre-enrolment, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will be ready to formally launch Healthier SG on Jul 5, Mr Ong added.
The pre-enrolment exercise was launched earlier this month for existing chronic patients aged 40 and older.
Mr Ong said that the ministry will make the Healthier SG enrolment as simple as possible, with the process very similar to the one used for booking COVID-19 vaccinations.
“Eligible residents will receive an SMS invite from MOH, which will link you to HealthHub, where you can enrol with your family doctor,” he said.
“Invitations, just like vaccination invitations, will go out in batches, starting with Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 60 years and above and with chronic diseases, followed by others in the same age group.”
Enrolment may be extended to a younger age group – those aged between 40 and 59 – once the system has been “run in”, he added.
As of this month, more than 870 of the 1,200 eligible Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) GP clinics have already joined Healthier SG, Mr Ong said.