SPEECH BY DR JANIL PUTHUCHEARY, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION & MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT KKH TIME CAPSULE UNVEILING CEREMONY, 31 AUGUST 2024, AT KK WOMEN’S AND CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Professor Alex Sia, CEO, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH)

Former Chief Executive Officers of KKH, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Dr Jennifer Lee, Professor Ivy Ng and Professor Kenneth Kwek

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

1. Good morning. It is my pleasure to join you today for this momentous occasion to celebrate KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s (KKH) 100th year of exceptional maternity care and the unveiling of its time capsule which was sealed and buried during the hospital’s relocation in 1997.

2. First, I congratulate KKH for reaching a milestone of 100 years of exceptional maternity care. This incredible journey has been marked by many achievements, including the launch of Singapore’s first School of Midwifery in 1952. The school played a crucial role in equipping midwives with essential skills to manage labour and delivery, as well as provide nursing care and health education to new mothers. Although the school eventually closed in 1978, KKH’s commitment to midwifery continues, exemplified by the establishment of a midwife-led clinic in 2010, ensuring that the tradition of excellence in maternity care lives on.

3. KKH has been a cornerstone of Singapore's healthcare system, witnessing the births of more Singaporeans than any other hospital on the island. Established in 1858, it transitioned into a free maternity hospital in 1924, playing a pivotal role in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. In 1966, KKH achieved a remarkable feat by delivering a record-breaking 39,835 babies, earning a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the world’s largest number of deliveries in a single maternity facility in a year. In fact, the certificate for this feat is one of the items from the time capsule we will be unveiling later.

4. Today, KKH remains Singapore’s largest maternity hospital, delivering around a third of babies born in the country each year. This centenary marks KKH’s legacy in dedicated work to improve the health of the women, children, and families of Singapore.

5. As we uncover the treasures hidden within this capsule, we honour the foresight of those who had envisioned the future we now enjoy. This capsule contains more than merely medical equipment and hospital documents from the past; it encapsulates the spirit of progress, the memories of dedicated professionals, and the foundation upon which this esteemed institution has flourished.

Looking back: personal reflections

6. One of the items in the time capsule is a maternity training doll. It looks like a relatively simple training doll by today's standards. I spent much of my time here involved in education and training, in one form or another, including at the simulation centre. When you look at this training doll, you may not see the similarity with the technology-driven, robotic simulation technology that we have today; the mannequins now, they cry, they bleed, they breathe, they emit a pulse. The maternity training doll was a recognition that this is the type of training needed. We need a different type of training, a training which is a proxy for the clinical scenario, a training which simulates what we might do in real life. Using dolls, using simulated training, is an important way that healthcare professionals can be prepared for situations where they have to work quickly as a team, intervene swiftly to save life and make a difference in that family. Looking at the doll, I was thinking about the time at the simulation centre, all the wonderful things that have happened since this maternity training doll was part of the training process. I thank many colleagues for contributing to the excellent care that many families have benefited from over the years, including my own. We can celebrate the past today.

Looking forward: continuing to innovate processes

7. While the unveiling of a time capsule allows us to reflect on the past and celebrate the journey that has brought us to this point, it also serves as a reminder that we need to continue our ongoing efforts to improve the delivery of care to our patients.

8. On that note, I would like to commend KKH for its Psychological Resilience in Antenatal Management (PRAM) programme. PRAM is one of the initiatives under the Child and Maternal Health and Well-Being Strategy to enhance support for mothers and children, and provides universal antenatal depression screening to detect depression early in pregnancy. To date, the programme has benefitted over 2,500 pregnant women. By extending screening to every pregnant woman, PRAM strengthens preventive care by, and enables timely support for expectant mothers to ensure maternal well-being and optimise her child’s future developmental outcomes. PRAM complements the Singapore Perinatal Mental Health Guidelines on Depression & Anxiety, which KKH released last year to support women before, during and after childbirth.

9. Beyond the hospital, KKH recently launched KKH@Home, an innovative initiative that brings acute inpatient care into patients’ homes through teleconsultation and home visits for clinically stable patients who otherwise would be physically admitted to hospital. Using wearable devices, patients can recuperate in the comfort of their home, while the KKH@Home team monitors patients’ vitals and responds to patients’ needs whenever required. This initiative also frees up hospital beds for the care of more acutely ill patients.

10. Last month, KKH also launched KK TelePaeds, a pilot video consultation service for paediatric non-urgent care manned by the Children’s Emergency team. This allows remote clinical consults, specialist referrals, and even medication delivery without parents or caregivers having to bring their child to the hospital or a clinic.

11. KKH, together with the National University Hospital, also introduced the PaedsENGAGE programme, which partners General Practitioners (GPs) to be the first-line doctors for non-emergency paediatric conditions. Currently, there are around 500 GPs participating in PaedsENGAGE, with recruitment ongoing. Parents and caregivers can bring their children to the nearest PaedsENGAGE GP for conditions that can be handled by a GP. Thereafter, if a Children’s Emergency visit is ultimately warranted, the GP makes a referral and the parents and caregivers receive a subsidy on the Children’s Emergency fees. This allows the Children’s Emergency team to focus on caring for patients with critical and life-threatening conditions.

12. These initiatives demonstrate KKH's continued innovation and efforts in building a better healthcare system.

Closing 

13. I want to express my appreciation for all healthcare professionals, past and present, who have contributed to KKH's success. Your tireless efforts have not only shaped this institution but also positively impacted countless lives across generations of Singaporeans.

14. Looking ahead, I am optimistic about KKH’s future. With its continued emphasis on innovation and research, we can turn today’s aspirations into tomorrow’s realities. Let us continue to push boundaries of healthcare in Singapore.

15. Here's to the next century of excellence in healthcare at KKH!