SPEECH BY MDM RAHAYU MAHZAM, MINISTER OF STATE MOH AND MDDI, AT THE LAUNCH OF COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITUES SINGAPORE ON 12 OCTOBER 2025

Dr Chong Poh Heng, Vice Chairman, Singapore Hospice Council

Board Members and Leaders of the Singapore Hospice Council and its Member Organisations

Ms Gho Sze Kee, Grassroots Adviser and Member of Parliament for Mountbatten SMC

Distinguished guests, partners, friends, ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening. It is my pleasure to join you today for the launch of Compassionate Communities Singapore, CoCoSG. Led by the Singapore Hospice Council (SHC), CoCoSG aims to cultivate a caring and supportive environment for anyone navigating end-of-life care and bereavement. Today’s launch marks another step forward in our collective journey towards transforming how we approach death, dying, and grief in Singapore.

2          At the heart of this transformation is CoCoSG’s vision to shape a compassionate and inclusive ecosystem where no one dies or grieves alone. It speaks to a truth we all share, that care extends far beyond the walls of hospitals into the very fabric of our communities. It is reflected in the simple, everyday ways we look out for each other – checking in on a grieving neighbour or supporting a colleague through loss.

3          CoCoSG’s vision resonates with the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) efforts. We affirm the importance of supporting Singaporeans to better navigate end-of-life matters. Through our partnership with SHC, we help Singaporeans become more comfortable with conversations about death and dying. SHC has already trained over 80 ambassadors to engage the public, advocate for palliative care, and foster support networks. They will bring vital conversations on death and dying into neighbourhoods and homes, cultivating compassion where it matters most.

4          We acknowledge SHC’s efforts in laying the foundation for CoCoSG. Through Community Signposts, SHC helps Singaporeans easily access resources for end-of-life care, grief, and caregiving, providing support for those navigating these challenging times. Its community engagement initiatives such as Hack Care: YOLO! have engaged youths from institutes of higher learning, raising awareness and nurturing empathy. SHC has strengthened networks among healthcare providers, social service agencies, and community partners, fostering collaborations and rapport within the wider community. These efforts pave the way for CoCoSG to grow as a national movement where no one journeys through illness, caregiving, or dying, or bereavement alone.

Building Compassionate Communities and Environments for End-of-Life Care

5          CoCoSG’s mission to cultivate a compassionate society through education, advocacy, and partnerships supports the National Strategy for Palliative Care, launched in 2023. Through this Strategy, MOH is expanding and improving palliative care in Singapore, enabling more people to leave with dignity and comfort according to their preferences. Earlier this year, we launched a new digital Advance Care Planning (ACP) tool to empower healthy individuals to easily communicate and document their care preferences with loved ones and healthcare teams. As more Singaporeans complete their ACPs, communities become better equipped to honour their wishes. This fosters a compassionate environment that enables people to spend their final days where they truly want to be. For many of us, we hope to do so at home, in familiar surroundings with loved ones. The impact of these efforts is already visible: since the Strategy’s implementation, hospital deaths have dropped by almost three percentage points, reflecting that many can now spend their final days in preferred settings outside of hospitals. CoCoSG’s efforts to normalise end-of-life conversations encourage Singaporeans to think about their care preferences, amplifying our collective progress under the Strategy.

6          Communities are the cornerstone for a caring ecosystem for end-of-life care. When communities embrace compassion, everyday spaces become places of support. Spaces such as Active Ageing Centres, schools, places of worship, and community centres, are natural touchpoints for compassionate communities to take root and grow. These familiar environments create safe spaces for Singaporeans to engage in meaningful conversations about care, support, and their most deeply held values about end-of-life matters.

7          We can turn these spaces into compassionate communities through our individual actions. I encourage everyone of us here to think about what role you can play when someone is dying, caring, or grieving. Talk to your loved ones. Reach out to your neighbours and friends. Share what you learn today with your community. Through these small, personal acts, we build a more caring and more compassionate Singapore.

Closing

8          It is this spirit of caring for one another that has brought us to where we are today. I would like to commend SHC, and the partners, and everyone who have worked so hard to make CoCoSG a reality. Your dedication to create compassionate communities is deeply inspiring. You have greatly supported MOH’s efforts to develop a supportive palliative care environment in Singapore. Thank you also to Sze Kee, my parliamentary colleague; and Mountbatten Grassroots Organisations and stakeholders for bringing the Mountbatten community together. I look forward to seeing CoCoSG grow and to more Singaporeans embracing the simple but powerful idea that compassion begins with us.

9          Thank you.