A programme that promotes preventive
health in the community
will be expanded to cover the entire
eastern region under Sing-
Health’s plan to complement the
national Healthier SG initiative.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng
Swee Keat, who is also an MP for
East Coast GRC, launched the
Health Up! programme at Bedok
Town Square on Saturday.
Under this programme, participating
residents aged 40 and
above in Changi, Simei, Siglap, Bedok
and Chai Chee will receive
personalised recommendations
for chronic disease and cancer
screenings, vaccinations, physical
activities, diet and other lifestyle
changes from SingHealth Wellbeing
Coordinators.
Mr Heng said Health Up! was developed
by SingHealth with Sport
Singapore and the Health Promotion
Board, and supports the national
Healthier SG programme. It
is Singapore’s preventive care
strategy aimed at getting family
doctors to help individuals take
charge of their health.
The eastern region has about 1.5
million residents, and 770,000 are
above 40 years old.
There are currently seven wellbeing
coordinators who regularly
check on participants, with plans
to increase the number to 12 for the
eastern part of Singapore, where
the healthcare system is managed
by SingHealth.
Dr Wee Moi Kim, SingHealth’s
deputy director, health promotion
and disease prevention, said these
coordinators are newly hired and
undergo training on the basic
knowledge in chronic diseases,
nutrition, types of exercises for
different age groups, and even motivational
techniques.
But participants might still face
some challenges in going for
health screenings, which are offered
at subsidised rates at polyclinics.
Dr Wee said that apart from time
constraints, people are afraid of
the unknown, of contracting a disease,
and are worried about treatment
costs that might come after
the screenings.
Health Up! was piloted in Tampines
in November 2021, where
250 residents signed up.
The screening rates among these
participants for chronic disease
and cancer rates were between 60
per cent and 80 per cent, higher
than the national level of 40 per
cent to 65 per cent.
So far, more than 1,000 people
have signed up for the programme.
Professor Lee Chien Earn, Sing-
Health’s deputy group CEO, said
that over three-quarters of participants
in the Tampines pilot programme
have reported being physically more active since joining
Health Up!.
Mr Heng noted that four out of 10
residents in East Coast GRC are
above 60 years old. This reflects
Singapore’s rapidly ageing population,
with more senior citizens
than youth under the age of 19 by
2030.
He said: “This is why we must focus
on extending our healthy lifespan,
and making the silver years
meaningful, joyful and memorable.”
Health Up! also involves organisations
like the Agency for Integrated
Care, Singapore Cancer Society
and the National Library
Board.
SingHealth said that so far, about
340 general practitioner (GP) clinics,
or 90 per cent of GPs, in the
eastern region have signed up for
Healthier SG.
Prof Lee said: “Currently, our focus
is on the age of more than 40.
But over time, we hope we can also
create programmes that are suitable
for those who are younger, so
they can also start on their healthier
journey as early in life as possible.”