Tamil Murasu – Minister Ong Aims to Increase Manpower for the Healthcare Sector by 20% by 2030
Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung said that a major focus in the coming years will be on strengthening human resources in the healthcare sector, adding that manpower expansion must keep pace with the ongoing development of healthcare infrastructure.
Speaking about these infrastructure enhancements, Mr Ong noted that many existing hospitals are currently undergoing significant renovations and expansions. To support this growth, the national healthcare sector is working towards increasing its manpower by 20 percent by 2030.
Mr Ong made these remarks while serving as Guest of Honour at the Singapore Health Quality Service Awards held at the University Cultural Centre at NUS on Friday (16 January).
Mr Ong, who is also the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, highlighted that special attention is being given to manpower planning for the newly built Eastern General Hospital. He also stressed the importance of deploying manpower effectively to manage the increasing workload.
“We are working to establish medical teams for each patient in intensive care hospitals, led by a primary care physician. That physician will develop an integrated treatment plan that incorporates advice from other health professionals based on the patient’s needs,” said Minister Ong.
He added that work in the community, beyond hospitals, is also being redesigned. Efforts are underway to expand the role of eye examiners through collaborations between public health institutions and community eye care centres.
Mr Ong further noted that training methods are being updated to ensure healthcare workers can adapt quickly to new and expanded responsibilities. The Ministry of Health is collaborating with higher education institutions and public healthcare agencies to develop flexible, part time, on the job training programmes for nurses and allied health professionals.
A total of 5,171 individuals—including healthcare professionals and partners from 49 public and private healthcare institutions and social care organisations—received awards at the 17th annual ceremony.
Awards were presented across five categories. Yogeswari Chandrasekaran, 39, won in the “Superstar” category. She serves as the Head of Social Work and Resident Programmes at the Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home. She introduced informal consultation sessions called “Hearty Sessions,” where residents could openly share their thoughts and concerns. Through compassionate listening and guidance, her efforts helped the care team better manage residents’ behavioural challenges.
Another awardee in the same category was Saravanan Mahalakshmi, 49, a Nurse Clinician at the Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home. She volunteered enthusiastically for an infection prevention and control project.
With full team support, the nursing home soon saw tangible results, including significantly reduced infection rates, improved recovery conditions, and increased confidence among residents and their families.
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