GONE are the days when a health screening meant sitting in a bathrobe in a cold room with other people, awaiting your turn for the next test. And relishing a cup of post-check-up Milo as a luxurious treat. Now, screening centres are upping their game for the moneyed health-conscious set, offering premises furnished with plush leather furniture, soft lighting and gentle music.

In Friday’s edition of BT Lifestyle, we report on the new luxury screening centres that have sprung up in the city to cater to the growing demand for preventive healthcare. Along with VIP suites and private waiting pods, there’s also a stream of high-tech imaging and screening equipment to justify the higher prices charged. But are such centres also guilty of unnecessary testing? Find out more in our story.

Meanwhile, the Singapore International Festival of the Arts unveils its line-up for the three-week event. Expect some daring and eclectic works such as a climate-crisis opera sung by sun-tanning beachgoers, and a puppet version of Moby Dick for adults. In Travel, experience the spirit of old Japan in Ise-Shima in Mie prefecture, famous for its long coastline made up of vast inlets scattered with forested islands.

In Dining, we head to Dempsey for some Air, or rather the restaurant of the same name that serves up eco-conscious cooking and some lofty ideals.

Get this and more in Friday’s issue of BT.