Background

Our present healthcare system relies more on treatment than prevention. Expenditure on public hospital services accounts for over 80%, while less than 20% is spent on primary healthcare. Not only are resources skewed heavily towards public hospitals, the pressure exerted on them is also huge. With an ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, public hospitals are overburdened and the waiting time for specialist services has continued to lengthen. Coupled with the impact of the COVID‑19 epidemic, the dire consequences of over‑reliance on public hospitals over the years have become more evident. We need to change.

The Government will revamp the healthcare system. Our aim is to shift the emphasis of the healthcare system from its current treatment‑oriented, hospital‑based structure to a prevention‑focused, community‑based system, by investing additional resources to promote primary healthcare.

The Primary Healthcare Blueprint was published on 19 December 2022. With District Health Centres as the hub for co‑ordinating primary healthcare services for our people, we will partner with the private healthcare sector to promote the concept of “family doctor for all” and collaborate with various healthcare professions to provide comprehensive, sustainable and people‑centric primary healthcare services in the community.