960,000 enrol in Healthier SG in first year of programme

60 per cent are aged 60 and above, with the rest between the ages of 40 and 59

- Zhaki Abdullah

Diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure, IT administrator Kenny Lee said visits to the general practitioner (GP) for his conditions previously would include "old school" advice such as reminders to take his medication, as well as to eat less and stay away from fatty foods.

However, this changed when he enrolled in preventive healthcare initiative Healthier SG about a year ago, said the 45-year-old.

Through the scheme, his GP referred him to a health coaching service, where a consultant held detailed discussions with him about his lifestyle and diet, as well as the changes that needed to be made to improve his health.

Mr Lee is one of more than 960,000 people who have enrolled in Healthier SG in the year since its official launch in July 2023, the Ministry of Health (MOH) told The Straits Times in July, describing it as "encouraging progress" for the scheme.

This is an increase of about 10 per cent from May, when Health Minister Ong Ye Kung told reporters that about 870,000 had enrolled.

About 2.4 million Singapore residents aged 40 and above have been invited to participate in Healthier SG since its launch.

Of the current enrollees, about 580,000 are aged 60 and above - or about 60 per cent of the total while about 380,000 are between the ages of 40 and 59, MOH told The Straits Times.

Under Healthier SG, people are encouraged to register with a family clinic to take personalised steps towards better health. The scheme also allows people to receive free annual check-ups, nationally recommended vaccinations and health screenings.