With its superior medical standards and advanced healthcare facilities, Singapore's healthcare system has gained international acclaim.
Moreover, due to Singapore's establishment of a comprehensive healthcare mechanism, patients can enjoy comprehensive, thoughtful, and reasonably priced medical services anytime and anywhere. Each year, over 400,000 people seek medical treatment in Singapore.
Renowned for its first-class medical standards and significant treatment outcomes, Singapore's healthcare system is on par with mainstream healthcare institutions in developed countries. Major healthcare institutions have established solid partnerships with top medical centers around the world, and Singaporean doctors have many world-firsts in medical research.
Outpatient Medical Services
18 government polyclinics provide various outpatient medical services, including outpatient treatment, dental care, neurological treatment, immunizations, and health check-ups, which are all part of government-subsidized medical projects.
Additionally, Singapore has over 2,000 general practitioners (GPs) distributed across most residential areas.
Hospital Services
Public Hospitals
Singapore currently has 7 public hospitals, including 5 general hospitals, 1 maternity and children's hospital, and 1 psychiatric hospital. Non-Singapore citizens and permanent residents can only choose Class A wards (single or double rooms) or Class B1 wards (four-bed rooms) when hospitalized. The Ministry of Health of Singapore has clearly defined all charges for public hospitals, covering the consultation fees required for a complete set of examinations; specific details can be found by clicking here.
Singapore also has 6 specialized medical centers, including oncology, cardiology, ophthalmology, dermatology, neurology, and dental care.
In addition, there are several community hospitals that provide timely healthcare services for patients in recovery and elderly individuals who do not need to visit general hospitals.
Private Hospitals
Singapore has several private hospitals, including Camden Medical Centre, East Shore Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, and Raffles Hospital. Most private hospitals offer premium wards or VIP rooms. Additionally, some hospitals provide specialized medical services. For example, Gleneagles Hospital offers advanced health check-ups, while Raffles Hospital has established an International Patients Centre. Furthermore, Camden Medical Centre, located in the city center, houses approximately 59 specialized clinics and is equipped with a complete set of the most advanced medical auxiliary facilities and services.
To learn more about Singapore hospitals, please visit the Ministry of Health (MOH) website.
Here are commonly used emergency phone numbers:
Emergency Police: 999 (free)
Emergency Services/Ambulance/Fire: 995
Non-Emergency Ambulance: 1777
Other Medical Services
Singapore also has several specialized clinics that provide professional medical services such as dental and ophthalmological care.
Health Insurance
According to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) system, every Singapore citizen and permanent resident must open a Medisave account, into which a certain percentage of their salary is deposited monthly by both employers and employees. The Medisave scheme is a national medical savings plan, requiring participating employees to deposit a certain percentage of their salary into their Medisave account to cover hospitalization fees, same-day surgical fees, and some outpatient expenses for themselves and their immediate family members. Additionally, if they suffer from any of the four chronic diseases—diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and stroke—they can withdraw funds from their account to pay for some hospitalization and outpatient expenses. Furthermore, CPF members can choose to enroll in the MediShield plan, a basic health insurance plan managed entirely by the Central Provident Fund Board, with relatively low premiums for participants.
You can also purchase private health insurance, which can either cover basic hospitalization or comprehensive medical insurance that includes hospitalization, outpatient services, laboratory tests, X-rays, and other medical services. Singapore has several well-known insurance companies that offer competitive rates and a wide range of products, and they can tailor insurance plans to suit your lifestyle and specific needs. For more information, please click here.
Immunizations
In Singapore, every child is required to receive immunizations, including diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, whooping cough, polio, rubella, tetanus, and tuberculosis vaccines. The health department mandates that all preschool children must be vaccinated.
General practitioner clinics and government polyclinics can conduct childhood vaccinations. A child-specific "Health Booklet" must be brought during vaccinations to record the vaccination status. Every child born in Singapore must have a "Health Booklet" established. You can purchase this booklet from the Health Promotion Board or any polyclinic in Singapore.
