With only 30% of health tech innovations clinically adopted, the grant will disburse up to S$1 million to successful applicants to develop and distribute their technologies. 

A grant to speed up the adoption of new health technologies in hospitals and clinics has been launched in Singapore. 

With only 30% of health tech innovations clinically adopted in a widespread manner, Tina Wong, executive director of the National Health Innovation Centre Singapore (NHIC), said that the initiative will address the problem of low uptake of healthcare technologies.

“It is but the start of an exciting journey and together with you, we shall continue to forge ahead and break new ground to power the next generation of healthcare innovations,” she said. 

Supported by the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Clinical Innovation and Adoption Initiative launched by the NHIC will disburse up to S$1 million (£590,000) to successful applicants to develop and distribute their technologies islandwide. Successful applicants to the programme will also receive mentorship to transform their innovations into commercially successful biotech companies.

The first grant call for this initiative will begin accepting applications in November and will focus on funding screening technologies. Proposals should include technologies that aim to detect early onset of disease and/or enhance proactive screening in homes and primary or community care settings. Subsequent rounds of the grant will focus on funding technologies related to diagnosing existing medical conditions alongside the management of such conditions, and cures for these diseases.

“We must become more agile in adopting new, cost-effective healthcare technologies in Singapore, so as to care better for our people, while optimising our limited manpower resources and enhancing productivity,” said Cheong Wei Yang, MOH deputy secretary of technology.