Fitbit, an American tech-company famous for producing wearable technology that helps users monitor their fitness habits and personal health, has announced an ambitious project in tandem with the government of Singapore that will see the company distribute as many as one million devices to the city-state’s population to bolster public health.
Fitbit’s Wednesday announcement revealed that the company had finally signed a contract with the government of Singapore that ensured the company would provide the wearable devices free of charge provided that users spend money on the company’s premium subscription service.
According to a report from Reuters, the ambitious project could see as many as one million devices distributed, though users will only receive their free device on the condition that at least $7.22 is spent monthly on the company’s subscription services. The city-state of Singapore has a population of roughly 5.6 million, ensuring the program will have a wide reach and has already established itself as one of the leading South Asian hotspots for wearable tech and public healthcare.
The testing ground for Fitbit
The Live Healthy SG partnership is Fitbit’s first public health endeavor that features the private company partnering up with a major government entity. Spearheaded by Singapore’s Ministry of Health, the Live Healthy SG initiative provides useful health information related to diabetes management, proper nutrition, and other advice on its official website.
The Fitbit dispersal program will formally launch in October, though pre-registration services will launch next month to expedite the program’s rollout.
“Our partnership with the Singapore Health Promotion Board is a recognition of our work to date, and we are confident that the powerful combination of our devices, software, and services will motivate Singaporeans to improve their health, while also tangibly helping a nation to improve health at scale,” Fitbit CEO James Park said in a statement, according to MedCity.
A growing population
According to the Singapore’s government, as the new Singapore tourist visa comes into effect, the city-state will be populated by at least 610,000 people above the age of 65 by 2020, which has led to a spike in demand for healthcare services. This was brought on by new migrants taking advantage of a Singapore tourist visa.
Fitbit’s new program is part of an ongoing effort by the government of Singapore to attract additional high-tech workers to the city to populate its burgeoning public healthcare sector.
Singapore’s healthcare sector is regularly lauded around the world for its efficiency; according to Bloomberg, the city-state has the second-highest healthcare efficiency score in the world after Hong Kong, drastically outperforming the United States as well as nearby Australia, Japan, and South Korea.
