SPEECH BY MR ONG YE KUNG, MINISTER FOR HEALTH, AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE SINGAPORE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TEAM (SGEMT), HOME TEAM TACTICAL CENTRE, 12 SEPTEMBER 2024

Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, Head of WHO Country Office

Colleagues and friends 

1. I am happy to join you today for the inauguration of the Singapore Emergency Medical Team, or the SGEMT. I am also very happy to see experts from all over the world, coming here to guide us to learn from this experience. A very warm welcome to Singapore. This SGEMT is the outcome of many months of hard work, and forms part of Singapore’s contribution to international humanitarian assistance. 

2. ASEAN, in particular, is predominantly an archipelago – a result of massive tectonic movements. We border the major oceans of the world, and funnel major changing winds. It is not surprising that geography has dealt ASEAN more than our fair share of natural disasters. 

3. Since 2012, the ASEAN burden stands at approximately 15% of the world’s disasters, with close to 1,900 occurrences. Within the same period, over a billion lives were affected with US$17 billion of losses. 

4. As a member of the regional and global community, Singapore does our part to provide humanitarian assistance beyond our shores. In emergency situations, it is imperative that countries around the region can act swiftly and respond effectively and support each other. Our support saves lives and facilitates a swifter recovery to normalcy. Further, we will strengthen our regional resilience and preparedness, and be more ready in a world where natural or man-made disasters can strike anytime. 

5. Some notable instances when Singapore activated our disaster relief teams were the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, Cyclone Nargis which hit Myanmar in 2008, Typhoon Haiyan which hit the Philippines in 2012, Nepal earthquake in 2015, and Sulawesi earthquake in 2018.  

6. In each of these disasters, we send in our expert teams, to deliver relief, and conduct search and rescue. In particular, in the immediate aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) carried out significant disaster relief efforts in Meulaboh, Aceh, Indonesia. They provided medical aid, food and shelter; helped restore roads, bridges and communications; and built a jetty to facilitate delivery of supplies, and I think the jetty is still there today, and it continues to be used.

7. Today, we are embarking on another significant effort. With the establishment of the SGEMT, Singapore is able to offer the disaster relief services of medical teams that can inter-operate with other World Health Organization (WHO) classified Emergency Medical Teams. So we are plugged into a global network. 

8. The SGEMT can be activated locally or overseas. Locally, it can support the Disaster Site Medical Command. This will enhance our healthcare system's response during major incidences such as the Nicoll Highway collapse, or in mass casualty events where immediate medical intervention and sustained medical support for first responders are required.

9. We established the SGEMT in about 18 months – from conceptualisation to completion of the WHO classification process. We were initially told that it was an ambitious timeline as compared with previous experiences, as many teams took several years to complete the process. 

10. But in typical Singapore fashion, we learned from the experiences of past missions, developed a whole-of-government approach, worked closely with public healthcare institutions to conceptualise the system and design the processes and structures, partnered the SAF and Singapore Civil Defence Force to tap on their expertise, collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to fortify the SGEMT's global operational capabilities, and ensured support from Singapore's diplomatic network worldwide. It is really a whole-of-government process.

11. Beyond government agencies, we also forged partnership with private players to take on non-clinical functions such as warehousing, equipment maintenance, and a standby pool of technicians that can be rapidly mobilised. It is not just whole-of-government, it is whole-of-Singapore.

12. I am proud to highlight two other features of the SGEMT. First, besides being able to be deployed within 72 hours, SGEMT can be fully self-sufficient throughout the deployment. This means that the SGEMT is fully equipped to provide clinical spaces, accommodation for its own personnel, and generate its own electricity and clean water. Additionally, the SGEMT will be able to manage all its medical and waste disposals. These are crucial capabilities, as our aim is to go to a disaster relief site to contribute, not to burden the already affected country, its people and institutions. 

13. Second, as we establish SGEMT as a national capability, the Ministry of Health also collaborated with WHO to support the mentoring of Fiji’s EMT, as well as the verification of the Philippines’ EMT. These efforts will help multiply our impact over time. Just as those before us helped us, I think we also have the duty and responsibility to help those after us. That is how we continue to build our capability in institutions.

14. Today’s officiation of SGEMT underscores Singapore’s commitment to strengthen regional disaster response capabilities, ensuring that timely and high-quality medical care is available, where it is most needed. I thank everyone who has contributed towards the establishment of the SGEMT. I trust that SGEMT will always stand ready to help out and to fly the Singapore flag high.