SPEECH BY PROFESSOR KENNETH MAK, DIRECTOR–GENERAL OF HEALTH, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF MAGNET

Professor Thomas Coffman, Dean of Duke-NUS Medical School

Professor Lim Soon Thye, CEO of National Cancer Centre Singapore

Professor Teo Eng Kiong, CEO of Sengkang General Hospital

Distinguished guests, colleagues

Ladies and gentlemen

1. A very good afternoon to all of you. It is my pleasure to join you for the official launch of MAGNET, or Mechanistic Investigation and Clinical Innovation for Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Therapy - Singapore’s first national research initiative on sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia trends in Singapore

2. Sarcopenia can have a significant impact on quality of life for individuals as they experience progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, becoming more susceptible to complications including falls, fractures and potentially disability.

3. Although more commonly seen amongst the older population, sarcopenia is a multifaceted condition which can also be associated with chronic diseases and inactivity, and therefore may affect individuals of all ages. In Singapore, sarcopenia affects nearly one in three older adults. With the projection of one in four Singaporeans being 65 years or older by 2030, we can expect the prevalence of sarcopenia to rise with our rapidly ageing population. This will present new and complex challenges in terms of how we care for seniors, how we promote healthy ageing, and how we preserve strength, functionality, and independence in later life.

MAGNET

4. There is a need to develop a better understanding of the etiology of sarcopenia, to ensure that it can be properly detected and managed. Particularly, it would be important to ensure that our policies and efforts are based on up-to-date evidence which is contextualised to Singapore. I am glad MAGNET aims to bring this local evidence base which can be translated to policy development.

5. MAGNET will bring together a consortium of experts across our three public healthcare clusters – SingHealth, National University Health System and NHG Health, who will work closely with researchers from A*STAR’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, NUS’ Life Sciences Institute Immunology Programme, as well as the Immunology Translational Research Programme at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. This is the kind of ecosystem we need, one that encourages collaboration and connects science with clinical practice.

Linkages with the ongoing efforts by MOH

6. I look forward to the contributions of MAGNET towards the development of potential screening tools alongside customised management approaches that can delay, prevent or even reverse the effects of sarcopenia, through the harnessing of state-of-the-art molecular research tools.

7. I am hopeful that the work done under MAGNET will help fill knowledge gaps experienced across the patient journey and serve to enhance MOH’s ongoing national efforts including Healthier SG and Age Well SG, for we hope to drive towards a population that not only lives longer, but stays healthier.

8. Age Well SG is a national programme to support our seniors to stay active, healthy and socially connected. Under Age Well SG, we are enhancing and expanding the network of Active Ageing Centres (AACs). These AACs offer a variety of activities, including physical exercises that support those at risk of sarcopenia. This includes the Health Promotion Board’s Steady Lah programme which incorporates progressive muscle strengthening exercises. Beyond the Steady Lah programme, there are also workshops where seniors can learn about healthy eating. I hope that the insights from MAGNET can, in the future, help us to better design active ageing programmes by deepening our understanding of the risk factors leading to sarcopenia as well as how sarcopenia should be optimally managed.

9. I would like at this time to also extend my thanks to Duke-NUS for hosting this launch event. With its strong focus on clinician-scientist development and a close integration with SingHealth through the Academic Medical Centre, Duke-NUS has become a powerful engine for innovation.

10. As we move forward, I hope that the findings and breakthroughs from the research efforts of MAGNET will be translated into clinical practice through scalable and sustainable models of care. This will require continued collaboration between policymakers, healthcare institutions, and industry partners.

Closing

11. Once again, congratulations to the entire MAGNET team for your vision, energy, and collaboration. This initiative sends a strong signal on Singapore’s commitment about building a future where longevity is not just about living longer, but also about living well.

12. I look forward to the innovations and impact that will follow. Thank you very much.