SPEECH BY MDM RAHAYU MAHZAM, MINISTER OF STATE, MDDI, AND MOH, AT THE “EDUCATE, TEST, TREAT! !” MOU SIGNING CEREMONY BETWEEN HCSA HIGHPOINT AND TTSH

Mrs Kim Lang Khalil, Chief Executive Officer, HCSA Community Services,

 A/Prof Bernard Thong, Chairman Medical Board, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH)

 Ladies and gentlemen

 1.               Good morning. It is with great pleasure that I join you today to witness the signing of the MOU between HCSA Community Services and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) for the “Educate, Test, Treat!” Hepatitis C Programme (or ETT for short). This event marks a meaningful milestone in our shared journey to eliminate Hepatitis C and support key vulnerable and at-risk groups within our community.

 2.               Eliminating Hepatitis C requires a multi-agency effort. Hence under its National Hepatitis C Programme, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) is working with experts, key opinion leaders and other stakeholders, including the public healthcare institutions and relevant ministries, to explore how we can collaborate towards eliminating Hepatitis C.

 3.               Today’s MOU between HCSA and TTSH marks another milestone for the ETT initiative. It demonstrates how partnerships between the private and public sectors, policymakers, and groups which represent charitable causes can move forward towards eliminating Hepatitis C.

 4.               This builds on ETT’s strong track record of collaboration. In 2022, it established a Hepatitis C screening network that built ties between halfway houses and gained valuable support from corporate partners. This was followed by a second milestone in 2023, when four more halfway houses joined the ETT initiative, providing more individuals with the opportunity to be screened and treated for Hepatitis C.

 5.               Last year, I had the pleasure of witnessing the MOU signing between HCSA and the Tzu Chi Foundation (Singapore). The partnership established treatment support for participants of ETT’s screening and treatment initiative at halfway houses in Singapore. Since then, more than 30 participants have applied and received treatment for Hepatitis C. This has allowed former drug offenders to live a life free from Hepatitis C complications.

 6.               Our healthcare institutions also played a critical role in the efforts to eliminate Hepatitis C. TTSH has been a key partner in the ETT initiative since 2022, providing vital clinical services throughout the Hepatitis C care cascade for halfway house residents, including patient education and screening to care linkage, treatment initiation and monitoring.

 7.               The signing of the MOU today strengthens the partnership between HCSA and TTSH in three ways:

                            i.          First, it signifies a shared commitment to support the World Health Organization’s global strategy of eliminating Hepatitis C.

                           ii.          Second, the MOU will enhance linkage-to-care and coordination between community-based screening initiatives and hospitals for Hepatitis C treatment. This will enhance the timeliness of assessments, access to affordable treatment and consistency of follow-up. By formally anchoring the working relationship between TTSH and HCSA, both TTSH and the National Centre for Infectious Disease will now work more closely with HCSA’s ETT care team and befrienders to provide a structured approach to screening and managing Hepatitis C and its chronic complications by streamlining operational processes. This seamless care journey is integral in making any health interventions successful in the long term.

                         iii.          Lastly, the MOU enables the expansion of outreach and testing efforts to include more halfway houses and transitional shelters, allowing the ETT initiative to reach more individuals in need. The partnership will also facilitate the training of more peer befrienders, who will play a key role in guiding participants through their treatment journey and increase the chance of successful intervention.

 8.               Together, these efforts contribute towards a model of care that is more responsive, accessible, and patient-centric. The Phase 2 ETT initiative is showing promising results. The programme has reached 100 more participants, doubled the coverage of financial assistance, and encouraged more patients not only to start, but stay committed to their care journey. This is exemplified by a significant drop in the default rate for clinic attendance from nearly 60% in Phase 1 to only 20% in Phase 2. Treatment initiation among those with chronic Hepatitis C infection has also improved, from less than 50% in Phase 1 to just under 70% in Phase 2. This success of the ETT initiative is testament to how much can be achieved when healthcare institutions, social service organisations, and the community come together for a common cause.

 9.               The goal for the next phase of the ETT initiative is to screen 600 at-risk individuals over the course of a year, with expanded capacity to connect them to affordable treatment and strong psychosocial support. I have confidence that this goal is within reach with the strong network of dedicated partners working in unison.

 Closing

 10.           In closing, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all who continue to make the ETT initiative a success, including TTSH and NCID for providing clinical care, HCSA for your commitment to serving those who need help the most, and the halfway houses and organisations which support those in recovery and help reintegrate them into the community.

 11.           With your continued efforts, I am confident that Singapore can work towards eliminating Hepatitis C. Thank you and have good day.