Efforts to reshape women’s health care around a comprehensive, lifelong preventive approach were emphasized during a panel discussion held on October 8 as part of the 13th Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore.

Jill Biden, chair of the Milken Institute Women’s Health Network and former First Lady of the United States, underscored the need for a medical roadmap guiding women through all stages of life. She highlighted that while women generally live longer than men, they experience a disproportionately longer period of ill health, often due to under-researched aspects of female biology. Biden recalled her own difficulties navigating menopause three decades ago when medical guidance was limited and the subject was stigmatized. She called for earlier attention to conditions such as osteoporosis through proactive education and targeted care.

Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, participating in the conversation, positioned Singapore as a potential model for implementing gender-specific health solutions. He noted that women in Singapore live, on average, to age 84 but spend about 12 years in poor health compared to less than 10 years for men. Ong emphasized that this disparity reveals the greater health vulnerabilities faced by women and reflected a broader shift in focus toward women’s health. “The tide has changed,” he said, pointing to growing attention on the needs of female patients.

The panellists also discussed sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass, identifying a need for increased public awareness and education. Ong shared details of Singapore’s preventive health initiative, Healthier SG, which plans to offer screening for osteoporosis and sarcopenia through general practitioner clinics. Early identification of at-risk individuals will lead to referrals to active ageing centres that provide accessible fitness coaching and training without prohibitive costs.

Ong stressed that preventive health should extend beyond clinics into communities and homes to ensure accessibility. Beyond musculoskeletal concerns, Singapore is expanding its preventive health framework to include hereditary conditions. From December 2026, genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer will be subsidized, with financial support available through MediShield Life and MediSave for risk-reducing surgeries.

These initiatives align with Singapore’s broader healthcare strategy that prioritizes preventive, predictive, and personalized care, differing from other countries where healthcare expenditures consume 10% to 17% of GDP. Currently, Singapore allocates about 4.5% of its GDP to healthcare, allowing fiscal flexibility to balance resources between acute hospital care and preventive services.

Closing the session, Biden urged stakeholders to translate dialogue into action to advance women’s health, stressing the importance of investments, education, and advocacy. “We’re going to be remembered by the changes and the improvements we make now,” she said.