MOH to roll out enhanced healthcare support in North of Singapore, starting Woodlands Town: Rahayu Mahzam
Residents of Woodlands Town will soon receive enhanced healthcare support after data showed that people living in Singapore’s northern region face higher rates of chronic illnesses.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday (5 March), Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State for Health, announced plans to strengthen community healthcare services, specifically in the Northern parts of the country.
Source: Google Maps
The move comes after data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) showed that residents in northern Singapore have higher-than-average rates of diabetes and hypertension.
Officials also found that residents there tend to engage in less physical activity compared to the national average.
“While we continue to review the reasons for these trends, we are simultaneously stepping up our preventive care efforts in the region,” said Ms Rahayu, adding that enhanced healthcare efforts will “start off at Woodlands Town”.
Source: Singapore Heart Foundation
Community health posts in Woodlands to be enhanced
In her speech, Ms Rahayu announced that NHG Health has been progressively enhancing its community health posts (CHPs) across 11 active ageing centres (ACCs) in Woodlands Town.
CHPs serve as accessible neighbourhood-based care points, and are mainly located across Central and Northern regions of Singapore.
These CHPs are slated to open once a week, and will be open to all Woodlands residents, regardless of age.
Source: NHG
Residents can visit the CHPs for:
- General health advice
- Basic health screenings
- Social prescriptions
- Support for preventive health and chronic disease management
The services will be delivered by community nurses and health coaches.
Pharmacists, dietitians, and therapists may also be brought in where necessary, said Ms Rahayu.
Source: MDDI Singapore on YouTube
From the end of March, Woodlands Health Campus will launch a new initiative at the enhanced CHPs to provide specialist-supported care for selected patients with diabetes and asthma.
Instead of travelling to the hospital, residents can consult nurses or health coaches or have teleconsultations with their specialists at the enhanced CHPs for medical guidance.
This will especially benefit residents who have mobility challenges or difficulty attending hospital appointments.
More health activities planned around Woodlands
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) will also work with community partners to make health activities more accessible for residents.
According to Ms Rahayu, a study by HPB found that people are more likely to participate in health programmes held in convenient, familiar spaces.
From April 2026, residents will be able to join workout sessions in popular locations around the Woodlands Town area, such as Fu Chun Community Centre and 888 Plaza.
Source: HDB
HPB will also refresh the Healthy365 app with new wayfinding and gamification features.
These updates, which will roll out progressively from June 2026, will allow residents to track their physical activity and earn rewards.
Source: Healthhub
HPB is also developing a “citizen-centric playbook” to help community partners design activities tailored to residents’ needs.
“Through collective ownership, residents will benefit from healthy lifestyle activities that are tailored to them,” said Ms Rahayu.
She also noted that the Government is studying the possibility of introducing a Tobacco-Free Generation policy, which would prevent people born after a certain year from purchasing cigarettes.
Targeted outreach for Malay-Muslim residents in Woodlands
Speaking in Malay during her address, Ms Rahayu also highlighted health concerns within the Malay-Muslim community.
Screening rates for conditions such as breast cancer and chronic diseases among Malay residents have dropped by up to 11%, she said.
To improve outreach, two mosques in Woodlands — Masjid An-Nur and Masjid Yusof Ishak — will partner with NHG Health to offer community health post services by Sept 2026.
Source: Masjid Yusof Ishak
Community nurses and health coaches who are fluent in Malay will conduct consultations to better support elderly residents who may not be comfortable speaking English.
“Our goal is to ensure that the path to a healthier life is wide enough for everyone to walk on,” Ms Rahayu concluded. “Through our initiatives, no one has to navigate their health journey alone.”
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Featured image adapted from MDDI Singapore on YouTube and Tamsin Greulich-Smith on Linkedin. Right image for illustration purposes only.
