Graying Singapore embraces technology to face health challenges

epa06127702 A Thai nurse gives a medical health check to patients in a rehabilitation program at Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment in Pathum Thani province, Thailand, 03 August 2017 (issued 06 August 2017). Thailand admitted the country's war on drugs, declared decades ago, was never won as the number of drug addicts and drug related offenses has increased. The military junta government has launched a harm reduction program to tackle the drug addiction problem, made it priority to treat drug users as patients and send them to rehab instead of prison. In 2016 more than 4,000 addicts have joined the government?s voluntary rehabilitation program at the Princess Mother National Institute on Drug Abuse Treatment, formerly known as Thanyarak Hospital, the state-run rehab center offering a four-month Matrix program; drug rehabilitation treatment occurs in four phases of preparation by interview and counseling, medical detoxification, rehabilitation including a cognitive behavior therapy and follow-up. The hospital also provides job skills instruction such as Thai massage, beauty salon services and embroidery. The Public Health Ministry estimates that about 2.7 million people became drug users in 2016, many of them addicted to Ya Ba, which translates in English as 'crazy medicine', a tablet containing a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine. The number of young Thai drug abusers had increased, as the youngest recorded was nine-year-old. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT ATTENTION: This Image is part of a PHOTO SET

Bloomberg

Singapore is embracing technology and focussing more on personal health, as an expected doubling of seniors over the next two decades forces the nation to confront politically sensitive decisions on financing and immigration.
While Singapore’s aging population is something to celebrate in reflecting longevity, it’s also forcing the city to become more nimble in how it approaches the challenges, Chee Hong Tat, senior minister of state for health and communications and information, said. “You need to help people to live healthier, more active lives and reduce the demand for healthcare, but recognise that aging is unavoidable,” said Chee, who noted that the number of patients with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer is set to rise in Singapore.
“In healthcare, it’s a double-whammy for us because your demand is going up but your supply of healthcare workers is actually potentially going down because the pool is reducing.”
Technological and business innovations will help, shaping healthcare both for workers and patients, said Chee, who is encouraging companies to research healthier food products for Singapore and the region.
Singapore will also rely on efforts such as tele-health, for example where rehabilitation patients can conduct exercises at home under the supervision of a remote physician, he said. Technology will allow nurses to monitor the vital signs of a whole ward of patients from one desk, and allow prescriptions to be filled under automation rather than manually.
“Big data” is also making it possible to predict, for instance, whether someone is at high risk for a walking aid given factors such as gait and posture, and the chances of a patient needing hospital care again after being discharged, he said.
Economies across Asia are grappling with how to serve growing elderly populations without imperiling economic growth or burdening working-age residents. Singapore’s eldest residents are set to crowd out the youngest cohort next year. Singapore will have to ensure that the supply of workers in the healthcare industry remains robust. The government’s healthcare manpower plans through 2020 call for 30,000 additional industry workers.

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