Healthcare in Singapore

The following is a guide for foreign expectant mothers who wish to give birth in Singapore:

Application to Deliver in Singapore

1. The expectant mother must apply to the Singapore Immigration and Registration (SIR) office for permission to deliver in Singapore through a local sponsor, before her arrival.

2. The local sponsor, who must be a Singapore citizen or Permanent resident, should produce the following documents upon application:

• A copy (original) of duly completed Form 14, Form V39 and Form IMME 555 (download these forms at www.sir.gov.sg and the explanatory notes). Every applicant (including children) has to complete a set of these forms.
• Applicant’s marriage certificate (original and photocopy)
• Local sponsor’s identity card or valid re-entry permit
• Letter from a medical officer stating applicant’s expected date of delivery and whether there are any expected complications in the pregnancy
• Letter from the expectant mother's country’s Embassy or High Commission stating that her newborn child will follow the parent’s nationality and a valid travel document of that country will be issued to the newborn child
• Applicant’s valid travel document.
• Local Sponsor will furnish a Security Deposit upon approval. The amount is between S$1000 - S$5000, depending on the applicant’s nationality.

Registration of Birth

After the baby is delivered, his/her birth could be registered with the Birth Registration Centre at the following places :

For births in other hospitals, the baby’s birth has to be registered at the PR Services Centre within SIR building, and those who are not born in hospitals (eg. at home or in cars), the mother has to obtain a Notification of Live Birth from the doctors/midwife/ambulance staff who delivered the baby

Birth registration must be done within 14 days to 42 days from the date of birth, including Sundays and public holidays. If registration is done after 42 days, a letter of explanation stating the reason for late registration must be submitted for the Registrar/Registrar General's approval. After approval has been given, the birth will be registered and the Birth Certificate will be issued.

The following documents are required to be produced at the time of birth registration:

• Notification of Live Birth, issued by the Hospital
• Both parents' Identity Cards, if they are Singapore residents
• Original marriage certificate
• Both parents' passports, entry permit and embarkation/disembarkation card issued by Immigration Department (for foreigners)
• A letter of authorisation from the parents of the child (if someone else registers the birth on behalf of the parents)
• A fee of S$18.00 is payable for birth registration. Some hospitals may charge an administrative fee for the service provided on top of the S$18.00

Child's name must be furnished at the time of birth registration. Ethnic characters of the child's name in Chinese/Jawi/Tamil can be included in the Birth Certificate. This is optional but parents/informants must ensure the accuracy of the ethnic characters furnished. For Chinese children who have been given a name in full Hanyu Pinyin version, the Chinese characters of his name must be reflected in the birth certificate.

These three schemes help Central Provident Fund (CPF) members and their dependants pay for hospitalisation expenses.

Medisave

Every working individual (Singapore citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident) including the self-employed, is required by law to contribute to the Medisave portion of his CPF account. Medisave funds can be used to pay for hospitalisation expenses for himself or his dependants. Dependants are defined as one’s spouse, children, parents and grandparents who must be Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents.

Medisave can be used to buy Medishield, a medical insurance scheme, for himself and his dependants. It can also be used to buy a non-CPF medical insurance such as Incomeshield but you cannot have both Medishield and another non-CPF medical insurance.

Medishield & Medishield Plus

This is a low-cost medical insurance giving you and your family financial protection against the expenses of medical treatment in the event of prolonged or serious illnesses. The premiums can be paid from Medisave. Members purchasing Medishield Plus get a higher insurance coverage.

For more information, please contact:

Central Provident Fund Board
79, Robinson Road, CPF Building
Singapore 068897
Tel : (65) 1800 227 1188
Fax: (65)-6225 8732
Email : cpfboard@cpf.gov.sg
Website : www.cpf.gov.sg

Singapore Medical Association
2 College Road, Level 2, Alumni Medical Centre
Singapore 169850
Tel : (65) 6223 1264
Fax: (65) 6224 7827
Website : www.sma.org.sg

Ministry of Health
16 College Road
College of Medicine Building
Singapore 169854
Tel : (65) 6325 9220
Fax: (65) 6224 1677
Email : moh_info@moh.gov.sg
Website : www.moh.gov.sg

Prescriptions from overseas doctors are not valid for use in Singapore. The pharmacies require a prescription from a local registered medical doctor to be able to fill the prescription. The patient should go to a registered local medical practitioner and consult a doctor. The patient should also bring along his/her prescription from overseas so that the doctor can prescribe him the necessary drugs.

If the specific brand of drug is not available in Singapore, the doctor may be able to switch to a therapeutically equivalent drug which will not compromise the treatment of the illness or disease. The patient can obtain his new supplies of drugs from the doctor himself /herself or get a prescription from the doctor and have it filled at the private pharmacies.

Services provided by Singapore’s public and private hospitals are highly regarded by the locals and expatriates residing in neighbouring countries. Both public and private hospitals are equipped with the latest medical equipment to maintain a high standard of medical service. Singapore General Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, National University Hospital, Gleneagles and Mount Elizabeth are recognized as benchmarks for healthcare delivery standards in the region.

Gleneagles, Mount Elizabeth and Thomson Medical Centre are full fledged hospitals that are private hospitals and fees are relatively higher that of the government hospitals including Kandang Kerbau, National University Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, Changi General Hospital, Tan Tock Seng and Ang Mo Kio Community Hospital.

Five of the government hospitals provide acute care services with multi-disciplinary acute inpatient and specialist outpatient services as well as 24-hour accident and emergency services. Also, there are 6 speciality institutes for ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology, cardiology, neuroscience and dentistry. The tertiary specialist care on cardiology, renal medicine, haematology, neurology, oncology, radiotherapy, plastic and reconstructive surgery, paediatric surgery, neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery and transplant surgery are centralised in two of the larger general hospitals which are the Singapore General Hospital and the National University Hospital. The other five government hospitals provide special functions such as maternity, mental, infectious and sub-acute care services.

Foreigners seeking inpatient services can choose to be warded in single-bed rooms, two-bed rooms and four-bed rooms of private hospitals. They will only have a choice of single (A class) rooms or two-bed (B1 class) rooms in government hospitals. Medical fees in government hospitals are relatively lower than in private hospitals but non-Singaporeans will pay a 30 percent premium over the fees charged to the locals.

Parkway Cancer Centre

Parkway Cancer Centre offers comprehensive cancer treatment with a highly skilled, multi-disciplinary team comprising consultant medical specialists, nurses, counsellors and other para-medical professionals to meet the specific needs of cancer patients.

Mount Elizabeth Hospital
Address: 3 Mount Elizabeth, Mount Elizabeth Hospital Level 2, Singapore 228510
Tel: (65) 6737-0733
Fax: (65) 6737-7002

Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre
Address: 3 Mount Elizabeth, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre #13-16/17, Singapore 228510
Tel: (65) 6733-8118
Fax: (65) 6733-8389

Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre
Address: 38 Irrawaddy Road, Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre #05-52/53/54/55, Singapore 329563
Tel: (65) 6684-5522
Fax: (65) 6694-0706

Gleneagles Hospital
Address: 6A Napier Road, Gleneagles Hospital #01-35, Singapore 258500
Tel: (65) 6472-2662
Fax: (65) 6475-9221

Gleneagles Hospital
Address: 6A Napier Road, Gleneagles Hospital Level 2, Singapore 258500
Tel:65) 6470-3328
Fax:(65) 6476-6393

Gleneagles Hospital
Address: 6A Napier Road, Gleneagles Hospital Level 3, Singapore 258500
Tel: 65) 6473-8688
Fax: (65) 6479-2309

Email: enquiry@pcc.sg
Website: http://www.parkwaycancercentre.com

Singapore Sports And Orthopaedic Clinic

Our Professional Orthopedic Specialist, Dr. Kevin Yip, has more than 20 years experience in treating orthopedic problems ranging from common orthopedic problem, sport injuries to degenerative changes of orthopedic problem. Be assured that you will be receiving professional treatments that suit your needs.

Address: 6 Napier Road, #02-12 Gleneagles Medical Center, Singapore 258499
Tel: (65) 9734 3087

Email: feedback@bone.com.sg
Website: http://www.orthopaedics.com.sg/

Singapore also has centers for special treatments of eye, heart and skin problems namely: Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore Heart Care Centre National Skin Care Centre.