Diabetes still top concern
A national workgroup will come up with recommendations and strategies to reduce lower limb amputations caused by diabetes come 2019.
This was unveiled by Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday at the Committee of Supply debate, as part of its efforts to combat diabetes.
According to statistics from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and MOH, Singapore has a higher-than-OECD-average of major lower extremity amputations (LEAs) for adults with diabetes.
In 2015, for every 100,000 adult Singaporeans with diabetes, 180 received related amputations. The OECD average is much lower, at 60.
The Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) and the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS), which enables residents to use their Medisave or receive subsidies for outpatient treatments will now also expand coverage to include pre-diabetes management from June onward.
About 430,000 Singaporeans aged 18 to 69 years are estimated to have pre-diabetes. Without intervention, one in three of such individuals will develop diabetes within eight years.
The CDMP will also expand to cover ischaemic heart disease and diabetes-related consumables like insulin injections, lancets and test strips.
The Government will lead efforts in combating diabetes. From May, all pre-packaged beverages sold on government premises will have to meet lower-in-sugar guidelines as per the Healthier Choice Symbol. These include government offices, public facilities like parks, sporting complexes and educational institutions like polytechnics and libraries.
Freshly prepared coffee and tea served on these premises will also no longer have any added sugar. This policy extends to drinks from vending machines, retail stores, F&B outlets and staff pantries.
The government is continuing to explore means to reduce consumption of added sugar in Singaporeans' diet by 25 per cent come 2020.- JAN LEE
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now