OPENING ADDRESS BY GUEST OF HONOUR DR LAM PIN MIN AT THE “CURB THE HIGHS. FIGHT THE BUGS.” KNOW YOUR MEDICINE @ CENTRAL CDC HEALTH CARNIVAL 2018

Ms Irene Quay Siew Ching, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore

Ms Chew Yue Xin Cindy and Mr Lee Yap Huat, Co-chairpersons, 2018 Pharmacy Week Organising Committee

Pharmacists and Student Volunteers

Ladies and Gentlemen

A very good morning to you.

Introduction

          It gives me great pleasure to be here with you at the “Know Your Medicine @ Central CDC” Health Carnival, organized by the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore in partnership with Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC). It is indeed heart-warming to see so many volunteers and members of the public at this health carnival today.
2        This health carnival is held in conjunction with the annual Pharmacy Week. Pharmacy Week is an annual one-week event to celebrate the contributions of the pharmacy profession in Singapore. It aims to raise public awareness on medication management and promote the role of pharmacists as medication experts to the public and healthcare colleagues via various outreach programmes.3        And this year, I am glad that the Central Singapore CDC is part of this endeavor.“Know Your Medicine. Curb the HIGHs. Fight the BUGs.” 4        The theme for this year’s Pharmacy week “Know Your Medicine. Curb the HIGHs. Fight the BUGs.” aims to address two pressing healthcare issues in Singapore; namely chronic conditions management and antimicrobial resistance or AMR for short. This is in line with the Ministry of Health’s priorities to adopt a preventive approach towards the top three chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia) and to combat AMR.5        The rate of AMR is rising globally. The pipeline of new antibiotics is also drying up. This poses grave public health issues. Singapore being the regional health-hub in Asia, is not spared from this serious health threat. Increasingly, common infections such as pneumonia will become more challenging to treat as the bacteria develop resistance against antibiotics that used to be effective. AMR may also increase the healthcare cost incurred by patients as they may require prolonged hospitalization. Should we choose not to act now on this pressing healthcare issue, we will be left with no effective antibiotics to treat even common infections such as a bacterial infection of the throat or skin. 6        Pharmacists who are highly-trained healthcare professionals in medications and disease management, play a pivotal role in this fight against AMR. In the major hospitals, they drive antimicrobial stewardship programmes, perform regular audits, and advocate for appropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. This allows us to reserve these antibiotics for future treatment of more severe infections. 7       At the community level, pharmacists also play a vital role in the fight against AMR. Pharmacists are well-equipped with the skills and knowledge to manage minor ailments such as cough and flu which often do not require antibiotics. They can help to assess if a referral to a doctor is required, and make safe and effective recommendations for self-care if appropriate.

8        Given the wide availability of community pharmacies in most neighbourhoods, pharmacists are also one of the most accessible healthcare professionals to the public. They can provide consultation on preventive medicines such as vaccinations, travel health precautions and good personal hygiene habits. With better preventive measures taken, infection rates and use of antibiotics can hopefully be reduced.

Curb the HIGHs

9        Faced with a rapidly aging population, longer life expectancy and rising burden of chronic diseases, it is critical to enhance primary care. Pharmacists are well positioned to keep residents of Singapore healthy in the community.

10      They partner patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to better manage their conditions. They educate and empower patients with useful tips on lifestyle modifications, engage patients in safe and effective use of medicines, and resolve medication-related problems. This is especially important for patients taking multiple medications where there is a high potential for non-adherence, confusion and medication-related side effects.

Conclusion

11      To the residents, the organising committee has prepared a series of interactive models and games, to share on several important health messages. I hope that you will have an enriching and fun-filled day with our pharmacists and pharmacy students, and bring home this important information that will impact your health. I would strongly encourage you to speak to your pharmacist if you have any queries pertaining to your health and medications.

12       I would also like to thank the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore and the organising committee of Pharmacy Week 2018, for bringing these educational activities to the residents of Central Singapore today. Together, we can help Singaporeans live long, healthy and fulfilling lives.

 13       Thank you.