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Ministry of Health
Speeches

SPEECH BY MR ONG YE KUNG, MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND COORDINATING MINISTER FOR SOCIAL POLICIES, AT THE NATIONAL MEDICAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2026, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026

17 September 2026

Award recipients

Family members and loved ones

Ladies and gentlemen

1.               I am pleased to join you today for the National Medical Excellence Awards (NMEA) 2026, to honour outstanding healthcare professionals who have made significant contributions to patient care and the advancement of medicine in Singapore.  

Defining Medical Excellence

2.               Clinical excellence is sometimes described simply in terms of skill, such as having steady hands, sharp minds, and sound judgement. But clinical excellence is more than these essential technical abilities. It is also about curiosity, advancement of knowledge, teaching, mentorship and the ability to work with and lead others to improve care for patients.

3.               We see this in different ways amongst tonight’s award recipients – in the clinician who brings acumen and compassion to every patient encounter; the scientist who turns questions into experiments for better outcomes for patients; the educator who shapes both the knowledge and ethos of the next generation; and the mentor who walks alongside a younger colleague.

4.               What strings all these different roles is a common thread: a passion and commitment to keep improving the practice of medicine, across the system and for generations to come. This is the spirit that we celebrate tonight and every time we celebrate and recognize NMEA award winners.

5.               You’ve seen the videos of all our wonderful award winners tonight, but I would just like to make special mention of two of tonight's recipients –  Professor Terrance Chua and Professor Pang Weng Sun.

6.               They are no strangers to this stage. Both have been recognised at the NMEA before for their respective contributions to the growth and development of nuclear cardiology and advancing medical education and training. And today, we are proud to honour them once again, and this time as Clinician Mentors.

7.               They have demonstrated that enduring contributions are built steadily, never culminating in one pinnacle award, but accruing over decades and across different phases of their careers. They give me inspiration that I have future careers to look forward to.

8.               I also want to highlight the recipient of the team award tonight, Project Achieving Resilient and Inspiring Families (ARIF), which has benefitted over 5,000 families. What made this possible was not any single clinician or any single intervention, but a team willing to look beyond the walls of the hospital and ask a very simple and important question: what do patients and their families really need?

9.               Healthcare professionals worked alongside religious advisors, social workers, and community partners, each bringing a different perspective, and together building a more holistic model of support. The Project went beyond trying to improve the personal health of the individual patient, but also supporting the family as a whole.

10.           Project ARIF recognises that health can be shaped by a person's circumstances and community, more so than what happens just inside the clinic. Indeed, social prescribing has become a key tenet of our healthcare policy, supported by national programmes such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG. Project ARIF team members further demonstrated what this looks like in practice and how it can benefit families. If the same spirit percolates throughout the healthcare system, we will be able to strengthen families, uplift communities, and contribute to the caring and compassionate society that we want to build together.

11.           My heartiest congratulations to our award recipients tonight. This recognition is a testament to the years of dedication and impact each of you has brought to your work. But these accomplishments do not happen in isolation. They are made possible by the unwavering support of your families and loved ones- many of whom are here today. Shall we also give them a round of applause. So let’s all stand by each other and deliver the best possible care to all our patients.

12.           I wish you all a pleasant evening ahead.