The 3rd Singapore International Public Health Conference (SIPHC) was held in conjunction with the 17th Singapore Public Health and Occupational Medicine Conference on 19 and 20 October at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel.
Jointly organised by the School and the College of Public Health and Occupational Physicians, Academy of Medicine, Singapore, the event brought together close to 400 distinguished local and international speakers and delegates to discuss contemporary global public health and occupational medicine issues centered on the theme, “Embracing The Future”. The topics discussed include health equity, mental health, healthy longevity and resilient ageing, public health challenges in the post pandemic world as well as innovations for workplace health and well-being.
Prof Teo Yik Ying, Dean, presented the welcome address. He explained the importance of being forward looking and solution oriented in tackling public health challenges. Asia is presently the continent most at risk to global mega-trends such as ageing population, rapid urbanisation and changing climate that challenges health security. This is also set within a pandemic era where there is a likely recurrence of infectious disease outbreaks and the greatest health burden is to people with underlying chronic diseases.
“Thus, it is important for us to come together and discuss possible opportunities and solutions to real-world problems that affect the health of individuals and communities.”
~ Prof Teo Yik Ying
We were incredibly honoured to have Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Manpower, graced the event as Guest of Honour. In his opening address, he highlighted that healthcare is not merely about extending life but enhancing its quality as well. He went on to shed light on the Ministry of Manpower’s plans to strengthen Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) ownership, with greater emphasis on workplace health.
“On top of physical health and safety, the COVID-19 pandemic brought mental well-being to the fore and reinforced the need to tackle mental health issues at the national and whole-of-society level.”
~ Mr Zaqy Mohamad
Lifetime Achievement Award
Prof Chia Kee Seng, Founding Dean of NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the College of Public Health and Occupational Physicians at the conference this year. Prof Teo Yik Ying received the prestigious award on Prof Chia’s behalf from Mr Zaqy Mohamad.
This meaningful award recognises and honours exceptional leaders and visionaries in the field of public health and occupational medicine who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to public health and occupational medicine in Singapore.
As Founding Dean, he was instrumental in ascending the School from the then Department of Epidemiology and Public Health to Singapore’s national School of Public Health12 years ago. He also directed the School to be more than simply another faculty in the university, by setting the vision of the School to be relevant and tackle real world challenges in public health.
As a visionary leader, he successfully led the School to set up the Singapore Population Health Study, comprising of 50,000 community-based participants which provided the necessary insights on the disease burden in Singapore. This ultimately led Singapore to declare a War on Diabetes.
Recognising the importance of workplace safety, he also spearheaded the strategic use of the workplace to drive health promotion efforts, beyond the conventional lens of workplace safety and health. This pathed the way for a partnership between the Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Health to start the Total Workplace Safety and Health programme.
The School takes immense pride in Prof Chia’s remarkable achievement. The award stands testament to the significant impact he has made to the field of public health throughout his illustrious career. As Prof Chia continues to shape the landscape of public health, his teachings will continue to serve as a source of inspiration to future generations public health professionals.
As the curtains draw to a close, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all speakers, organisers, attendees and media partners who made this conference a success. Special thanks to the conference sponsors, Moderna, Pfizer and OUE, for your generous support.
Let’s continue working together to shape a healthier future for all.
Media Coverage:
Move youth away from high-sugar, high-fat, high-salt foods: Former WHO chief scientist, The Straits Times, 19 Oct 2023
人力部：三方面强化安全与卫生 打造适合长者工作环境, Lianhe Zaobao, 19 Oct 2023