More policies to plug healthcare gaps seen

[SINGAPORE] While Budget 2014 should seek to plug existing gaps in the local healthcare system, it is also important to work towards the longer-term need of transitioning towards preventive and holistic healthcare.

Building up infrastructure in the intermediate and long-term care (ILTC) sector and defraying healthcare costs are some of the initiatives the government could introduce to tackle existing challenges, according to economists and industry observers that BT spoke to.

The country is grappling with an ageing population, rising healthcare costs and infrastructure constraints, not to mention the low fertility rate, which means fewer young people to support the ageing population.