SPEECH BY MR ONG YE KUNG, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND COORDINATING MINISTER FOR SOCIAL POLICIES, AT THE HEALTHCARE SCHOLARSHIPS AWARD CEREMONY, 28 JULY 2026

Scholarship recipients

Parents and loved ones

Ladies and gentlemen

1.             Good afternoon to everyone. My warmest congratulations to the 130 scholarship recipients who have been awarded scholarships for your studies, and will be joining the public healthcare sector. Welcome.

2.             This year’s recipients come from a wide range of disciplines. We have 3 in Medicine, 13 in Clinical Psychology, 18 in Nursing, 21 in Physiotherapy, 24 in Pharmacy, and more than 40 in other Allied Health fields such as Occupational Therapy, Diagnostic Radiography, Speech Therapy, Dietetics and Medical Social Work. As healthcare goes beyond clinical work, we also have scholars pursuing studies in business, IT, engineering and communication.

3.             Some of you applied for and took up the scholarship, because you are very sure about this path. Others may still be figuring it out and wondering whether you have made the right decision. I was once in your shoes. I was given a scholarship and had no idea that it would make me a Minister one day. That is, therefore, a perfectly normal sentiment, especially because a scholarship comes with a bond, and an obligation to serve. 

4.             It is a fact that healthcare is a demanding sector. The work is not always glamorous, and it is certainly not easy. But I believe you have made a good choice. Let me convince you if you are not already convinced.

5.             First, healthcare is meaningful. It is meaningful not in an abstract way, but in a very practical way: your actions can change the course of someone’s life. Patients come to you when they are most in need, most vulnerable, and your role is to treat, cure and restore.  It is about helping people move forward.  Sometimes the progress is dramatic. Often, it is gradual. And every step matters to the patient and family, even those that are well such as those that come to the Active Ageing Centres (AACs) – you help them stay healthy. And even when the best efforts fail, you are there to support, care, comfort and provide dignity.

6.             Over the years, I have met many young Singaporeans who joined healthcare because they have been touched by the kindness and care of healthcare professionals, through their own experiences. Of all the many career paths you could have chosen, healthcare is special because of the pivotal role it has in all our lives. 

7.             Second, you are joining healthcare at a very exciting time. It is a time of major transformation. By the time you graduate, healthcare will not simply be bigger or busier. It will be organised differently, delivered differently, and supported by new capabilities.

8.             Singapore is already a super-aged society, with more than 21% of our population aged 65 and above. This will raise demand for care, and increase healthcare spending and manpower needs. The profile of our patients is changing drastically. They will be older, with multiple conditions, needing not just acute care in hospitals, but also preventive and rehabilitation care in the community.

9.             And we cannot respond by simply doing more of the same. The system is changing, shifting the centre of gravity of healthcare from hospitals to the community. The concept of a hospital is changing as well, not just a physical institution but a system of care that extends to communities and homes. The nature of care is also changing, from episodic treatment to continuous care.

10.         This is why we are redesigning our healthcare system. It is no longer just one hospital system, but three systems, including preventive care and long-term care, on top of acute care. And with these three pillars, we can intervene earlier, support people closer to home, and coordinate care settings much better. 

11.         And therefore, your roles will evolve with this transformation. Nurses and allied health professionals will contribute not just in hospitals, but also in preventive care, rehabilitation, community support and care coordination. Life gets really very real, it is not just working in the clinics or operating theatre, we are in the AACs, we are in the community, treating and helping people. They will be more empowered to take on expanded roles, including making clinical decisions, coordinating care, conducting assessments and screenings, providing coaching, supporting social prescribing, and helping patients manage chronic diseases over time.

12.         Nurses can take on advanced roles to provide timelier and person-centred care. Physiotherapists can become first contact practitioners for musculoskeletal conditions. Optometrists can manage more stable and non-complex eye conditions in the community. Pharmacists can take on larger roles in medication management and chronic disease support.

13.         But even as healthcare changes, the core remains human. Patients will still look to you for comfort, assurance and guidance. So, while we will employ more technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the effectiveness of healthcare workers, these tools cannot replace judgement, compassion and trust of the human.

14.         Third, you will work in a cohesive and united team. Doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, administrators, ancillary staff, volunteers and many others: they each bring different skills and perspectives. What binds them together is a shared responsibility to the patient, helping and reinforcing each other to fulfil our purpose.

15.         In healthcare, teamwork is especially important because the work is demanding, and there will be difficult days and challenging situations to deal with. Hence, MOH and all our healthcare clusters place strong emphasis on creating a work environment where healthcare workers feel recognised and appreciated, and where there is camaraderie, guidance and mentorship.  So, if you ask me, having joined public healthcare, will you have bad days? Guaranteed. Will you face difficult patients and loved ones? Guaranteed. Will you come across maybe difficult supervisors? Guaranteed. But if you have not chosen healthcare and go to another sector, will you face all these challenges? Guaranteed. But, I also guarantee you that because you chose public healthcare, the culture here is to support you. So, in the event of a bad day, unlucky day, difficult patients, difficult supervisors for that time period, be assured that the whole culture of the organisation is to make things better and to support you. That is, I think is special about healthcare.

16.         So, on top of that, the hygiene factors matter, we review regularly salaries for all. We implemented a long-term incentive scheme for nurses, called the Award for Nurses' Grace, Excellence and Loyalty (ANGEL) scheme. We instituted zero tolerance for abuse of healthcare workers, which I think has been effective. We continue to support ground-up improvement initiatives and recognise outstanding performance of healthcare workers through Ministry-level and even Presidential awards. 

17.         To those who are still wondering if you have made the right choice, my advice to you is this: you won’t know, until you give it your best shot. It takes two hands to clap. I have explained why you have made the right choice, but you also have to make it the right choice. And as we are here, all of us need to do our best to make sure that your best shot succeeds.

18.    To the families and mentors here today, thank you for supporting our scholars and helping them reach this milestone. A successful healthcare worker always has their family behind them, because it is a profession that requires passion and commitment. When I went out to Tiong Bahru today, someone called up to me, and I turned and speak to him. He said he had cancer and went for a scan at a public hospital, then surgery was carried out. It was all smooth and the care was good, such that he just wanted to say thank you. In my work as a Member of Parliament and as a Minister, most of the time I get complaints. Every week when we have Meet-the-People session, if people have complaints, they will come to see us. So, we tend to get complaints. But when I speak to doctors and nurses, they always tell me - Minister, don't worry. In your position, you get the complaints and the bad news. But they can see, of every 100 people they serve, 99 are appreciative. One may not be happy, and you just deal with it. But remember the 99 who appreciated. So for me, every once in a while, when someone like that approaches me, it makes me feel, actually, it is all worthwhile, and I hope all of you will feel the same way. This profession is not just meaningful, exciting, and has camaraderie, it makes you generally a better person. So, congratulations once again.