Percentage of Spending on Mental Health, Diabetes and Ageing versus Total Healthcare Spending in 2018 against Amount Budgeted for 2019
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Anthea Ong’s inquiry regarding the percentage of healthcare spending allocated to mental health, diabetes, and ageing for 2018 and 2019. Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong reported that based on 2017 data, these areas accounted for 3%, 11%, and 6% of the $8.7 billion operating expenditure, respectively. These figures include subventions for public healthcare institutions, community masterplans, and subsidised care at CHAS clinics, but exclude school-based counselling and the Pioneer and Merdeka Generation Funds. The Minister detailed that spending supports clinical services, residential facilities, and health promotion activities such as those under the War on Diabetes. This funding also covers various initiatives within the National Mental Health Blueprint and the Community Mental Health Masterplan to ensure comprehensive patient support.
Transcript
14 Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for Health for 2018 (actual) and 2019 (budgeted), what is the percentage of spend on (i) mental health versus total healthcare spend (ii) diabetes versus total healthcare spend and (iii) ageing versus total healthcare spend.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Based on the latest available expenditure data, MOH's operating expenditure for financial year 2017 was $8.7 billion, of which about 3%, 11% and 6% were spent on mental health, diabetes mellitus and aged care respectively.
MOH's expenditure on mental health comprises operating subvention to Institute of Mental Health, psychiatry units in other Public Healthcare Institutions and intermediate & long-term care facilities to provide subsidised patient care, as well as funding for various programmes under the National Mental Health Blueprint and Community Mental Health Masterplan. The figures do not include Government’s funding for other mental health initiatives such as school allied educators to provide students with counselling and related support.
MOH's expenditure on diabetes mellitus comprises operating subvention to public healthcare institutions and participating CHAS clinics to provide subsidised care to patients with diabetes as well as health promotion activities under the War on Diabetes.
MOH's expenditure on ageing comprises operating subvention to long-term care and social aged care facilities to provide patient subsidies for residential, day care and home care services. It does not include government funding on other ageing initiatives or subsidies provided to the Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation which are separately catered for under the Pioneer Generation Fund and Merdeka Generation Fund respectively.