Opening of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health

19 Sep 2011

By Mr Gan Kim Yong

First, let me congratulate NUS on the launch of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health. The setting up of this School is an exciting milestone for public health education in Singapore and the region, and I am pleased to join you here to witness this beginning.

NUS can claim a long tradition in public health from as early as in 1948, when the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health was first set up. Since then, NUS has produced many illustrious alumni who have gone on to fill important public health positions around the world.

Over the years, the direction of local public health education and research has evolved to keep pace with changing concerns arising from population growth and development. We have produced an excellent body of research in areas such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and occupational medicine, harnessing the multidisciplinary strengths of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

The School is extremely well-positioned to become a dedicated hub for postgraduate public health education. It will serve both national and regional interests as we tackle important public health challenges moving forward.

Public health challenges

The first public health challenge that I will highlight is the emergence of lifestylerelated diseases. You may have heard of the colourful terms like the silver tsunami which is used to describe rapidly ageing societies, or globesity, which is an interesting play on words to describe the global obesity epidemic. Conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and heart disease are becoming more common with our modern lifestyles. As our population gets older, we can expect the burden of such diseases to increase. This will severely strain our hospitals and health financing systems. New medical technologies and the more uncertain external economic environment will test the sustainability of our healthcare systems.

Hence, as we develop our strategies and plans to tackle the growing burden of chronic diseases, it is also important to expand the range of facilities (beyond polyclinics, hospitals, nursing homes), and promote the development of new and different types of services, particularly in the primary and continuing care sector. As our population ages, we will also focus on developing the Long Term Care sector by growing the home and community sector (eg, residential care facilities) to better support aging in place. We must aim to meet the demands of our rapidly ageing population. I am very much encouraged by the fact that the School already has strong expertise in the epidemiology of chronic diseases. New knowledge in this area will guide us in making important evidence-based decisions.

The second challenge is holding at bay the threat of infectious diseases. The risk from infectious diseases is amplified by the movements of people, animals and food supplies. As we have seen with the outbreaks of SARS and the 2009 H1N1 influenza A, infectious diseases are borderless, and their spread can be both explosive and unpredictable, especially in cities that are densely populated like Singapore. If outbreaks are not managed properly, the consequences can cripple our economy and society. Even familiar diseases like dengue can threaten the community if we do not actively monitor and intervene to control their spread.
Within MOH, we recognise the need for a comprehensive public health surveillance network to detect changes in disease landscapes. We have set up a dedicated public health intelligence unit which carries out environment scanning to quickly identify and assess public health threats. An example would be the outbreak of E. Coli O104:H4 in Germany in June. Here in Singapore, my ministry closely monitored the disease situation in Europe and assessed the possible local impact to Singaporeans. To complement MOH, the new School should build up its expertise in emerging infectious diseases to help regional health authorities in its policy and control.

The third challenge is developing the public health leaders of tomorrow. Public health leaders are necessary to drive changes and improvements in healthcare services and public health programmes in Singapore and our neighbouring countries. By attracting talent from around the world, the School can sow the seeds for synergy and collaboration. The development of regional networks for training and research will enhance relationships with our neighbours. In this regard, the School will also complement the NUS Initiative to Improve Health in Asia (or NIHA for short). Together, NIHA and the School of Public Health can create synergy to reach out to the region to draw upon relevant expertise and to share new insights and knowledge. This will strengthen health sector leadership in the region and be an important avenue for Singapore to contribute to public health capacity and capability in Asia. The School should aim to become a thought leader in public health in Southeast Asia. The building of a strong network centred on Singapore would allow mitigation of cross-border issues such as food safety, epidemic prevention and containment.

Beyond regional considerations, the strong international standing of the School will be a springboard to build up strong global partnerships. I urge the School to explore partnerships with renowned public health institutes of learning around the world, such as the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Harvard School of Public Health and the Duke’s Global Health Institute. Such partnerships will strengthen the quality of education and research in the School.
I note that Dr Margaret Chan, who is the current Director General at the World Health Organisation, is an alumnus of NUS. Besides Dr Chan, no less than nine Director-Generals or Deputy Director-Generals of Health from countries around Asia have graduated from the public health programme here. In this respect, I have full confidence that the School can continue to be a hub for training future generations of public health leaders.

The School as a National Institution

Besides being a centre of academic excellence, the School is also a national institution and a national resource for innovation and creativity. It has a role in identifying and assessing good healthcare policies which are undergirded by a sound financing system. International best practices in healthcare services and systems should be reviewed, and solutions shared to address problems we face locally and regionally. MOH will continue to work closely with the School and tap on its expertise to evaluate the effectiveness of our healthcare programmes and policies, and explore ways to improve them.
Many of the Public Health professionals in MOH have graduated from NUS. To ensure ongoing professional development of public health practitioners within the Ministry, I hope that the School will work with us to develop mutually beneficial joint research or sabbatical opportunities.

Beyond MOH, the School will serve greater national interests. A sound national public health framework requires multi-sectoral cooperation and participation. MOH therefore works closely with other ministries and statutory boards to develop and implement public health policies. Some of these agencies include the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Defense, National Environment Agency and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority. I am confident that the School can similarly boost the capacities of these agencies through collaborative research projects and educational initiatives.

Conclusion

The School must become a national asset that is filled with a strong sense of collegiality and purpose. This School will fill a unique niche whereby local solutions can be developed and refined to address global public health problems we face today. It can become the trusted brand for public health in the region, fostering regional and global research and training partnerships to this end. It should serve the nation and beyond in Asia and the world at large as we work for a healthier and fitter world.
I cannot end without acknowledging the generous contributions of Professor Saw Swee Hock. Prof Saw has demonstrated a strong sense of dedication to philanthropy and the public health cause. He has had a pivotal role in the setting up of the School and I have no doubt that his spirit of public service will continue to inspire students and alumni alike towards academic and professional excellence.

With that, I congratulate NUS once again on this occasion and I wish the School every success.