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SINGAPORE: Singapore's target to draw one million foreign patients to the country by 2012 will be a challenge to meet under the current economic conditions, said Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Thursday.
Responding to a question in Parliament from Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Lam Pin Min, Mr Khaw said hospitals will have to work harder to attract these patients and it may take longer for the target to be realised.
While the numbers for 2008 are not available yet, current figures from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) showed that the number of medical tourists fell some 15 per cent between 2006 and 2007.
Based on exit surveys of international travellers at Changi airport, just 348,000 medical tourists came to Singapore in 2007, compared to 410,000 in 2006.
This drop came as a surprise, said the Health Minister, as all Singapore hospitals registered higher patient admissions and patient days in 2007, compared to 2006. Mr Khaw said the STB will be re-examining the survey's methodology.
However, the same survey estimated that medical tourist spending rose by 30 per cent to S$1.7 billion in the same period.
Mr Khaw said the efforts of making Singapore a regional medical hub will remain unchanged. He said this will enable Singaporeans to have access to a high standard of affordable healthcare services.
Thus, plans to expand hospital capacity and specialist manpower will remain on track, although Mr Khaw warned that some private investors may adjust their timing in accordance with their shareholders' priorities.
- CNA/yt
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