SPEECH BY MDM RAHAYU MAHZAM, MINISTER OF STATE, MDDI AND MOH, AT THE 13TH SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY

Dr Serene Thain, President, Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Singapore (OGSS)

Adjunct Assistant Professor Huang Zhongwei, Chairman, Organising Committee of the 13^th Singapore International Congress of O&G 2025

Speakers and panel members

Distinguished guests

1.          Good morning. It is my pleasure to be here at the 13^th Singapore International Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G), together with clinical specialists, healthcare professionals and academics who are dedicated to improve health outcomes of women and future generations

2.          The theme for this year’s Congress is “Leading the Change, Empowering Women’s Health through Innovation and Sustainability”. The Congress addresses women’s health across their life course, spanning topics from prenatal screening and maternal-foetal medicine to general gynaecology, while considering the broader determinants of women’s health across different age groups. These are important areas of discussion as we seek to improve and advance women’s health.

3.          The Congress brings together healthcare professionals and academics in the field of O&G to discuss the latest advancements and share the best practices in women's health. The team has created a platform to build lasting relationships and foster collaborations towards achieving a sustainable network of dedicated individuals devoted to enhancing women's health care.

Ongoing Efforts to Improve Women's Health

4.          We see advances for women in various areas. We see women pursue higher education, take on varied roles in the workforce and assume leadership positions. Their participation has significantly contributed to economic development, leading to substantial economic growth and improved societal well-being. Healthcare for women has also continued to advance. Singapore, in particular, has achieved remarkable healthcare outcomes for women. We have one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world, with a rate of 5.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024[1]. This achievement is attributed to a strong healthcare system and access to quality maternal care, provided by highly competent specialists and professionals.

5.          But we should not be complacent and continue our efforts to do more to ensure that the health of women is optimised. There are many areas to continue working on; for example mental health. The KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the National University Hospital (NUH) have enhanced their mental health screening and intervention programmes in 2022, to better support pregnant women’s mental health. Pregnant women at risk of antenatal depression will be screened and identified, so that they can be offered early support. We will continue to review how we could better support the mental well-being of new and expectant mothers, to secure better health outcomes for both the mother and her child.

6.          As we strengthen support for women’s health throughout their life stages, we recognise that O&G specialists play a crucial role in promoting healthy lifestyle habits among expectant and new mothers. Healthy mothers mean healthy families. We should take a holistic approach and support women and mothers with various aspects of their well-being including guidance on parenting.  For instance, O&G specialists could share practical parenting tips with your patients and their families during consultations, including guiding families on screen time management especially for children aged 0-12 years old. This simple act can help empower women with practical strategies in managing daily parenting challenges, enhancing our holistic approach to promoting women’s well-being.

7.          We should of course, continue to strengthen our efforts in improving women’s physical health. Singapore’s commitment in this aspect is evident in our health promotion initiatives against cervical and breast cancers. For example, as part of cervical cancer prevention, fully subsidised human papillomavirus vaccination is offered to all Secondary 1 female students. Beyond schools, this vaccination is widely accessible through our Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) GP clinics and polyclinics. For young women aged 9 to under 18, the vaccination is fully subsidised under our National Childhood Immunisation Schedule, while women between 18 and 26 years can receive partially subsidised vaccinations under the National Adult Immunisation Schedule. For breast cancer, the Health Promotion Board also partners stakeholders for the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month to address misconceptions surrounding breast cancer screening and nudge more women to go for screening. Under Healthier SG Screening, including for cervical and breast cancer, are fully subsidised for eligible citizens.

Improving Healthcare for Women Through Continued Innovation and Sustainable Research

8.          More specifically and more relevant for today’s conference is the good work that has been done in the O&G field. The O&G landscape has evolved steadily over the years, with enhanced surgical techniques and improved diagnostic capabilities. Modern technologies have also improved the training in O&G education and clinical procedures. For example, the National University of Singapore and NUH had collaborated to develop a virtual reality -based childbirth training system. This innovative approach integrates precise virtual elements with physical mannequins, incorporating tactile feedback to enhance clinical skill acquisition for medical and nursing students.

9.          The OGSS has shared with me how it has been actively engaging the local O&G community in its annual meetings on clinical updates, biennial Singapore International Congress of O&G in Singapore, working with local partners in providing public talks on women health topics and collaborating with other professional societies in O&G such as the Japanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology as well as Asia-Oceania Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Additionally, there are ongoing industrial-academic collaborations to understand the molecular signatures of women who conceive successfully, which aims to discover the biological formulas that determine successful conceptions and healthy pregnancies, as well as research to find novel therapeutics to manage ovarian ageing. Through continued innovation and sustainable research, I am confident we will achieve positive impact on women’s health and future generations. 

Closing

10.    In closing, I would just like to reflect that we celebrated our 60^th birthday in Singapore recently, and there is much for our people to be proud of. This includes the advancements in our healthcare sector. To me though, our key assets are our people and the motivation to seek new insights from practices all around the world so we can continue building on our earlier efforts. Platforms like the Congress today demonstrate that spirit and endeavour. I congratulate the organisers for the meaningful effort and wish you all a very successful and fulfilling conference. Thank you.