The SHE Dialogues 2024 Episode 3: LOOKING WITHIN with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung | 9 Sep 2024

On 9 September 2024, SHE held the 3rd in its invitation-only SHE Dialogues series with Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung. 

Titled 'Looking Within: Challenges for Singapore in the Coming Years: Health, Wealth and Well-being', Minister Ong fielded questions on a variety of hot button issues such as:

⚫ How to protect the mental and physical well-being of the next generation of Singaporeans who may be struggling with the pace and demands of life, as well as modern day maladies stemming from device addiction and social media;

⚫ The concerns over NTUC Income Insurance being controlled by Allianz, a foreign company, particularly given NTUC's history as a social enterprise and their role in providing relatively low cost coverage for Singaporeans;

⚫ How to stem the tide of doctors in public service throwing in the towel and moving to private practice due to what they say is a relentless workload;

⚫ How to better integrate complementary/supporting pillars of healthcare like TCM and health coaching; 

⚫ The ageing population and related issues such as caregiving, volunteering, retirement villages, etc.

⚫ How AI will impact the medical and healthcare sectors;

⚫ Health insurance-related concerns such as portability, potential overcharging and the effect of riders;

⚫ Egg-freezing;

⚫ Assisted end of life;

⚫ Better training for foreign domestic workers to assist with eldercare;

⚫ Social care strategies to enhance greater healthcare access to seniors living alone, especially those from the lower-income community;

⚫ The challenges of Singapore's low fertility rate against the backdrop of global drops in childbirth.

We thank Minister Ong for his candid sharing during this jam-packed session, especially his recognition that when it comes to encouraging childbirth, policies have to prioritise the concerns of mothers, and also the novelty of redefining senior age through policies encouraging active and healthy lifestyles.

The session was moderated by SHE Chairperson Stefanie Yuen Thio with her trademark humour and fearlessness in asking tough questions.

 

SHE is planning even more Dialogues, so please sign up for our e-newsletter to receive news and updates!