• Facade of Ren Ci Community Hospital, one of the charity healthcare institutions in Singapore to provide medical, nursing and rehabilitative care services for the community.
    Facade of Ren Ci Community Hospital, one of the charity healthcare institutions in Singapore to provide medical, nursing and rehabilitative care services for the community.
  • Loh Shu Ching, chief executive of the Ren Ci Hospital, chatting with a patient in a ward. Singapore’s healthcare system has won global accolades including from the World Health Organisation, Bloomberg and the Economist Intelligence Unit.
    Loh Shu Ching, chief executive of the Ren Ci Hospital, chatting with a patient in a ward. Singapore’s healthcare system has won global accolades including from the World Health Organisation, Bloomberg and the Economist Intelligence Unit.
  • In Singapore, paying for health care is the shared responsibility of the government and individuals. Staff nurses of Ren Ci seen here attending to a patient during rehab excercises.
    In Singapore, paying for health care is the shared responsibility of the government and individuals. Staff nurses of Ren Ci seen here attending to a patient during rehab excercises.
  • Public subsidies of up to 80 per cent for citizens go hand-in-hand with co-payments by patients or their families.
    Public subsidies of up to 80 per cent for citizens go hand-in-hand with co-payments by patients or their families.
  • Like most developed nations, Singapore faces the twin problems of a rapidly ageing population and a shrinking workforce.
    Like most developed nations, Singapore faces the twin problems of a rapidly ageing population and a shrinking workforce.
  • By 2030, the nation of 5.6 million is expected to have 900,000 people aged 65 and above – double the current number.
    By 2030, the nation of 5.6 million is expected to have 900,000 people aged 65 and above – double the current number.
  • But experts are confident that with its strong reserves, Singapore is well placed to meet the financial challenges ahead.
    But experts are confident that with its strong reserves, Singapore is well placed to meet the financial challenges ahead.

Singapore’s unique healthcare model - in pictures


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Through its hybrid model of health care which combines government subsidies with patient co-payments, Singapore has managed to rank among the world’s best at a relatively low cost to the government. All photos are of Ren Ci Community Hospital in Singapore. Munshi Ahmed for The National