You could soon benefit from artificial intelligence (AI) as part of Singapore’s Healthier SG programme. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has announced that predictive AI will help doctors forecast health risks years in advance, offering more personalised and effective care.
At the first-ever AI Accelerate conference on June 16, Mr Ong described this shift as the “next bound” of Healthier SG, Singapore’s national strategy to keep citizens healthy before illness strikes. Synapxe, the national healthcare technology agency, organised the event at the Punggol Digital District.
Predicting illness before it starts
AI will work hand-in-hand with national health records, clinical risk scores, socio-economic data, and genetic information. This combination aims to support preventive care and social prescribing—helping you take proactive steps to manage your health before serious conditions develop.
But AI will not replace the human doctor. “We will continue to maintain the human touch through our family doctors, guiding and empowering residents to take charge of health outcomes before illness strikes,” Mr Ong said. He compared AI without doctors to flying a plane without a pilot—technically possible but not comforting.
Mr Ong acknowledged that while some studies show AI may sometimes outperform human doctors in diagnosis or treatment planning, most people still prefer the reassurance of a doctor who can empathise with their concerns. “AI does not think, feel, hope, fear or empathise,” he explained. “That human connection still matters.”
What you can expect by 2027
By 2027, the various healthcare apps currently used by Singapore’s three healthcare clusters—Health Buddy, NHG Cares App and NUHS App—will be merged into a single platform through the national HealthHub app. This will make it easier for you to access your health records, book appointments, and manage bills.
Mr Ong also shared plans to enhance this new version of HealthHub with AI features. Instead of just showing your data, it will soon provide personalised health advice in four languages. For example, if you have diabetes or high blood pressure, the app could suggest lifestyle changes, dietary advice, or follow-up care—in a friendly, conversational tone via text or speech.
This AI-powered feature is already being tested; early feedback has been positive. The full launch is expected in late 2025.
Expanding AI use in diagnostics
AI is already used in some parts of Singapore’s public healthcare system. At Geylang Polyclinic, chest X-ray AI helps prioritise patients so those with normal results can be cleared more quickly.
Starting in June, the National Centre for Infectious Diseases will also use AI to screen for tuberculosis using chest X-rays. Meanwhile, Woodlands Health will adopt AI tools in its emergency department to detect bone fractures. These technologies are set to roll out across all public healthcare institutions by the end of 2026.
According to Mr Ong, AI allows healthcare workers to do more with better results. But he also warned of the need to keep AI in check. “AI can expand human skills and ability to get more things done, and done better, but also subtracts the human experience of discovery and trial and error,” he said. “It is important to leverage AI fully, but not become subservient to it.”
He pointed out that AI is emerging just as many countries, including Singapore, face an ageing population. “Patient numbers are rising, with more complex and multiple conditions; healthcare systems are stressed; care is shifting to the community and patients’ homes; prevention of diseases is taking centre stage,” he said.
To Mr Ong, this is not just progress—it’s timely help. “AI is a scientific gift to us to tackle the biggest social challenge of our time.”
