24-Oct-16 With the increasing demand for TCM in Singapore, the integration of three important aspects - education, clinical practice and research - is seen as essential. To kick start research efforts, Singapore's Ministry of Health has ring-fenced SGD3 mn (USD2.2 mn) to encourage collaborative clinical research in TCM. [image: Yahoo! / Singapore Business Review]

17-Oct-16 Singapore's medical tourism receipts were SGD1.1 bn (USD791 mn) in 2012, dropping to SGD994 mn (USD715 mn) in 2014. Southeast Asia's medical tourists are looking elsewhere for treatment. In Singapore, a hip replacement at a private hospital costs SGD14,000. The same procedure at Mahkota Medical Centre in Malaysia - which treats 80,000 foreign patients annually - costs only SGD8,800. [image: The Straits Times]

21-Oct-16 A total MYR25 bn (USD6 bn) has been allocated by the Malaysian government in the 2017 Budget to boost the health of the people and the quality of healthcare in the country. The allocation is for numerous programmes, including building and upgrading of new hospitals and clinics in Perlis, Kuching, Mukah, Jempol, Muar and Johor Bahru. [image: Saw Siow Feng]

20-Oct-16 Singapore's Health Ministry has launched a manpower plan to attract more Singaporeans to take up careers in the healthcare industry. The Ministry estimates that 30,000 more healthcare workers would be needed by 2020 to meet the demands of an ageing population. More doctors are also being trained, with a 30 percent increase in family medicine trainees expected by 2019. [image: Sherlyn Goh / Channel News Asia]

20-Oct-16  Indonesia is at risk of being unable to cater for growing demand for healthcare, as most hospitals have yet to meet service-quality requirements. Only 308 hospitals in Indonesia, or 20.8 percent of the total nationwide, have been accredited by the National Hospital Accreditation Committee (KARS) since 2012, when accreditation was introduced.  [image: Wikipedia]