Speech by Minister of State for Health and Manpower Dr Amy Khor at the Launch of the Women's Health Advisory Committee and Women's Health Booklet on 16 Sep 2012

Good afternoon everyone!

1.               I am indeed very happy to be here with all of you for this afternoon at this women’s day out event. A while ago, we kicked off this event with a lively Zumba flash mob routine. Never in my life did I imagine I would do a flash mob. I noticed many of you were spontaneous. It was fun and I found it thrilling and exciting and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. All of you have sunny smiles. The dance we did is like a unison force. And we are here today to champion and improve women’s health together.

2.               I would like to thank everyone for taking time off on a Sunday afternoon to be here, especially all the women. Zumba is the latest dance fitness craze to hit town and many women have caught the Zumba fever. This is just one of the many ways women in Singapore are staying physically active despite our busy lives. Now, even as we enthusiastically take up a new sport or fitness activity, finding the time and energy to maintain a regular exercise routine is a challenge many of us face. We juggle multiple roles.

3.           I would like to thank all the men here, otherwise we would not be able to fulfil our responsibilities and as we strive to perform our many duties to the best of our abilities, sometimes it is easy for us to forget or neglect our own health. In fact that will leave us impoverished in the longer term. And it is because is of this, that I say it is important to remain happy and healthy

4.           Now, it is also very critical because we all know women live longer than men. The average life expectancy of women is longer than men. It is important to keep ourselves healthy because we don’t want to just live long but we want to live well and with peace of mind. In order to do that, we really have to adopt healthy lifestyle and habits, to avoid or delay the onset of chronic diseases and lead a good quality of life.

5.           Now, let me share with you the story of about a woman who invested in her health. Like many of us, Serene Ng put on a lot of weight during pregnancy. In fact, she was 20 kilogrammes above her ideal weight after pregnancy. She was also diagnosed with diabetes. But then, she realised it was important to improve her health. She was determined to improve her health, she joined the Health Promotion Board’s weight loss programme “Lose to Win®” in 2009. So she started making changes to her lifestyle and began exercising regularly and make wiser food choices. I am sure it was a very difficult journey but I understand that she had the support from her friends, from her family members and from her husband. Within three years, not only Serene has shed the excess kilos, she has also managed to maintain her ideal weight. And what’s more, she no longer requires medication for her diabetes! And that’s an achievement!

6.           Let me now share with you my personal story. Some of you may not believe this , but I was once a size “M”. Now, some of you may say size “M” and “so what?”. But I am “height challenged”. So “M” is not an ideal weight for me. When I graduated to a size “M”, I told myself that I had better do something and exercise and make sure I eat more healthily and not indulge in our wicked food that I really enjoy. Some two decades ago, I started to exercise regularly. At first I started with exercising twice a week, then three times a week, and I went on a more healthy diet. So I lost weight and have been largely able to maintain my weight the past two decades, even with three children. So now I have graduated and exercise every day. I run 5 to 6 kilometres every day and do some strength exercises .And I try, most times to eat a healthy diet, although I  confess that I enjoy food, especially the wicked and sinful ones, and I do indulge from time to time. But in moderation.

7.           So, it is possible for all of us to adopt a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly and eating right amidst our busy schedule, if we cultivate the right mindset and build a supportive network to keep us on track.

8.           In Singapore, whilst women generally fare quite well and in fact better than men in terms of health outcome indicators such as obesity, chronic diseases and smoking rates and so on, there are some areas where we still need to improve. Even in the areas where we fare well, I think we cannot take it for granted as it can turn against us. We should not rest on our laurels. For instance, 40% (4 in 10) of Singaporean women aged 50 – 69 years undergo regular breast cancer screening. In comparison, the average OECD rates for females and for Finnish women of the same age group are 62% and 84% (more than 6 in 10 and more than 8 in 10) respectively.

9.           For these reasons, we are launching the Women’s Health Advisory Committee (WHAC) to champion women’s health. This committee comprises women leaders and advocates from diverse backgrounds from the 3Ps (people, private and public) sectors. And with their wealth of experience in their various fields, these women will come together to formulate strategies and identify opportunities to address key health concerns that affect women, including mental health, especially for younger women and cancer screening for older women.

Women’s Healthcare Plan & Women’s Network

10.         Working closely with the HPB, the WHAC will be preparing a targeted, structured and long term Women’s Healthcare Plan. This will serve as a roadmap to chart the various priority health areas for women across their entire lifespan, and will allow the HPB to formulate and design sustainable programmes and a health promoting environment to tackle these various key health concerns.

11.         And to help us amplify our reach, we will work with relevant, like-minded organisations and community groups to form a Women’s Network. This Network will enable us to reach out more effectively to women at the workplace as well as the community.

12.         As the chairperson of the Committee, I would like to use this opportunity to thank all the members for their commitment and support to this worthy cause. I know that their valuable contributions will go a long way in shaping a comprehensive programme to improve the health of women in Singapore.

Women’s Health Resource

13.         There are many health concerns that are unique to women at different stages of their lives. Keeping up with the relevant issues can be challenging with the sheer volume of information. So to help you get started, WHAC, together with the HPB, has developed a valuable resource booklet called “My Journey to Better Health.” as well as an online portal that is aptly named “inspiringwomen.sg”. This will serve as an easily accessible one-stop source for all things concerning women’s health in Singapore.

14.         The simple tips and bite-sized advice in the booklet will help all of us to make small but meaningful changes in our lifestyles to adopt healthy lifestyles on our journey to better health. The booklet also doubles up as a journal, with guided sections to pen your thoughts and feelings, as well as a Medical Record Book to help you keep track of important personal medical information like your medical check-ups and health screening.

15.         Journaling is a great way to become more self-aware as you embark on the journey to better health. The rest of the Committee members and I will also be taking part and sharing some of our personal health journeys and health tips with you via the online portal. I want to encourage you to join us and to share what you learn in order to inspire more women to make their health a priority in their lives.

Conclusion

16.         To all the men present here today, I want to thank you for supporting your loved ones. Of course, they play an important role in our lives. For Ms Serene Ng, one important factor in her success to a healthier life, was her husband’s support.

17.         And to all the women here, I congratulate you for the important role that you have played in keeping Singapore’s families and community healthy, and I sincerely hope that you will join me and my Committee on a lifelong journey to better health.

18.         Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.