Cynthia is now resting and undergoing treatment. She is in good spirits. We wish her all the best. She wants me to tell everyone – Please push for Healthier SG in your communities. You know how persistent Cynthia can be when she calls for action, because it can change lives and it can save lives.
The UK Legatum Institute ranks healthcare systems in the world in a holistic manner. They do not just take into account of your doctor to population ratio or your healthcare capacity, or what kind of state of the art equipment you use, but they also evaluate population health and preventive care systems. They ranked Singapore as having the best healthcare system in the world in 2023. This is a valuable vote of confidence in our system. It encourages us to improve and do better.
It is said that there is an unbreakable iron triangle in healthcare. The three aims in healthcare: affordability, quality and accessibility. They are also trade-offs, such that improvement in one area always comes at the expense of the other two areas.
I have outlined how, by using MIC@Home and right-siting, we can increase capacity without necessarily building more hospital beds. In other words, improve accessibility, without compromising quality of care. By weaving insurance and co-payment, we reduce out-of-pocket payment for patients, while containing excessive demand for healthcare. Hence, improving affordability, without undermining accessibility. And more importantly, by building better health through Healthier SG, we achieve all three aims at the same time and enable people to lead longer, healthier and more meaningful lives.
Healthier SG is not a Government programme or a financing scheme. It is a movement for Singaporeans, a new way of life, a new compact between people, the community and the Government. We may not have broken the iron triangle to open a straight and easy line to good health. But we have made a good start and carved our own path to achieve greater happiness and probably prosperity, depending on how you look at it, for ourselves, our families and our nation. [Applause.]
新加坡國會丨來源
新加坡國會丨圖源
