新加坡卫生部：人口正在加速老龄化，需要加强医疗保健系统

卫生部兼通讯及新闻部高级政务部长普杰立医生：主席先生，我们的人口正在迅速老龄化。随着年龄的增长，我们更容易患上严重的疾病。过去十年新加坡国人的健康状况有所下降，慢性疾病（如高血压）的患病率普遍上升。

在过去的十年里，新加坡的人均寿命有所提高。这里越来越多独居老年人，随着我们的人口老龄化和平均家庭人口减少，这个趋势预计将持续下去。由于种种原因，个人和其家庭的负担以及对我们医疗保健系统的影响在未来几年将显著增加。

我们需要加强我们的医疗保健系统，以迎接这些挑战，通过健康的生活方式，预防或延迟疾病。这涉及加强社区医疗服务，可以更贴近生活环境，并在必要时利用家庭医生和社区伙伴资源。在我们继续投资建设新的医疗基础设施、升级现有设施的同时，我们也在扩大初级卫生保健服务。

研究证明，有定期家庭医生在照顾个人健康上是有帮助的，包括减少住院和急诊就诊次数。除了管理急性和慢性疾病外，初级照护团队在预防严重疾病方面发挥着至关重要的作用。家庭医生可以更深入地了解和熟悉患者的医疗条件，对药物和食物的过敏性，以及患者的日常生活，这最终会带来更好的护理。

洪维能先生询问了有关建设更多诊所的计划，以满足我们老龄化人口的需求，特别是在西部地区。目前有25个诊所和超过1000家健康SG计划的全科医生医疗诊所。到2030年，我们将拥有32个诊所，并希望有更多的健康SG 计划的全科医生医疗诊所。西部地区将建设三个新的诊所；登加的新诊所将于2025年完工，油池的新诊所将于2027年完工，达曼裕廊的新诊所将于2028年。现有的金文泰和裕廊的鑫诊所则将在2030年之前扩建。

我同意陈有明医生的观点，即需要确保诊所和公共交通枢纽之间的联通性。对于重建的金文泰诊所，卫生部已与陆路交通管理局合作，确保在建筑物和金文泰地铁站最近的出口之间提供有遮蔽的行人通道，除了穿过金文泰3道的交叉口，那里不会搭建遮蔽，因为交叉口很宽，双层巴士也可以经过那里。

随着社会的老龄化，我们需要确保社区充分支援老年人的社交和健康。强大的社会支持已被证明有助于改善健康。对于独居且孤独的老年人来说，这尤为重要。活跃乐龄中心将与医疗工作者（包括家庭医生）合作，同时与其他社区工作者和政府机构合作，开展活跃乐龄的活动。

The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Janil Puthucheary): Mr Chair, our population is ageing rapidly. As we age, we become more susceptible to developing serious diseases. As a nation, we have become less healthy in the past decade, with a general rise in the prevalence of chronic diseases, such as hypertension. 

Life expectancy in Singapore has improved over the last 10 years. Seniors are increasingly living alone, and this trend is expected to continue as our population ages and average household size decreases. For all these reasons and others, the strain on individuals and their families and the impact on our healthcare system will increase significantly in the coming years.

We need to strengthen our healthcare system to meet these challenges by proactively encouraging healthier lifestyles, and preventing or delaying the onset of poor health. This involves strengthening healthcare services in the community closer to individuals' everyday environment, and leveraging our extensive network of family doctors and community partners as necessary. While we continue to invest in building new healthcare infrastructure, upgrading existing ones, we are also expanding our primary and community care services. 

Studies have shown that individuals with a regular family doctor experience better health outcomes, including fewer hospitalisations and emergency department visits. Beyond managing our acute and chronic illnesses, the primary care team also plays a vital role in preventing the onset of serious illnesses. An ongoing relationship with a regular doctor allows for deeper understanding and familiarity with patients' medical conditions, sensitivities to medications and foods, and their day-to-day lives of the patient. This results, ultimately, in better care.

Mr Ang Wei Neng asked about plans to build more polyclinics to cater to the increasing demands of our ageing population, particularly in the Western region. There are 25 polyclinics and over 1,000 Healthier SG GP clinics today. By 2030, we will have 32 polyclinics, and we hope to have more Healthier SG GP clinics. There will be three new polyclinics in the western region; one in Tengah will be completed by 2025, another in Yew Tee by 2027 and the third in Taman Jurong by 2028. The existing Clementi Polyclinic and Jurong Polyclinic will also be redeveloped by 2030 to increase their capacities.  

I agree with Dr Tan Wu Meng on the need to ensure adequate accessibility between polyclinics and major transportation nodes. For the redeveloped Clementi Polyclinic, MOH has worked with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to ensure that sheltered pedestrian access will be provided between the building and Clementi MRT station's nearest exit, save for the junction across Clementi Ave 3, where such shelters will not be practical, because the junction is wide and there are double-decker buses passing through. 

As our society ages, we need to ensure that seniors' social and health needs are adequately supported in the community. Having strong social support networks have been shown to contribute to better health outcomes. This is particularly important for seniors who live alone and are at risk of social isolation. AACs will collaborate with healthcare providers, including family doctors, as well as work with other community providers and Government agencies for active ageing programmes.

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