It was a momentous occasion as the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health celebrated the official opening of its new premises at the Tahir Foundation Building on 12 February 2015.
Gracing the occasion was Guest-of-Honour Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization and alumna of the School’s Master of Public Health programme. Also lending her presence was special guest Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Manpower.
The morning’s programme was inaugurated by Professor Chia Kee Seng, Dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, who delivered the welcome remarks. Prof Chia highlighted several of the School’s outstanding efforts in turning discovery into healthier communities since its establishment.
He touched on the School’s capabilities in projecting disease burden which has in turn enabled policymakers to understand the magnitude and impact of the country’s growing chronic disease burden and help inform the MOH Healthy Living Master Plan.
Prof Chia highlighted the School’s efforts in promoting and implementing Total Workplace Safety and Health into governmental policies, as well as research work in the area of pharmacogenomics, preventing adverse drug reactions which supported the use of genetic testing for preventing adverse drug reactions.
He also likened the development and training of public health professionals to triathletes, emphasising the imperative message to “integrate knowledge across disciplines to develop solutions that will improve the health of populations in Singapore and beyond”.
Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, NUS President and Chairman of the National University Health System Board then took to the stage, stating that this move to a new premise marked “a major milestone for public health in our University, Singapore and our part of the world”.
With a new set of public health challenges in the face of a highly-urbanised and affluent society, the School “is now well poised for a new and steep inflection point in its growth and impact”.
He noted that the School’s new premises will “enhance its ability to expand its cutting-edge research, to enhance its education and to nurture, attract and retain talented faculty and staff”.
Prof Tan also expressed his deepest appreciation to Professor Saw Swee Hock, whose philanthropic gift and support has enabled the establishment of a fully-fledged School of Public Health to take shape, placing the School on a trajectory to excellence and leadership in public health regionally and globally.
Dr Margaret Chan then addressed the room, fondly recalling her days at NUS as a student of the then-Master of Science (Public Health and Occupational Medicine) programme during the mid-1980s, with her fellow classmate, Prof Chia Kee Seng.
She expressed that her experience at NUS has shaped her as a global public health leader, adding that “What served me the best was what I learnt here, in Singapore…. Through you, I’ve learnt to serve the world.”
Dr Chan also touched on the School’s strategic focus on translation and trans-disciplinarity in dealing with the added complexities in public health challenges today and in the future. She added that with these additional complexities, prevention of diseases must be brought to the forefront. Dr Chan also praised Singapore’s approach to public health and willingness to lead, which has helped the nation avoid mistakes observed in other regions.
Following Dr Chan’s address, Prof Chia Kee Seng and Prof Lee Hin Peng joined Dr Chan on stage to officially launch the opening of the new premises, which was followed by the premiere showing of the School’s first corporate video.
With the first half of the programme over, the guests proceeded to a ribbon cutting ceremony held at the lift lobby outside the School’s main reception.
View the opening of the School’s new premises here.
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Dr Chan’s talk was followed by a discussion moderated by Professor John Wong, NUHS Chief Executive, which saw several rising public health leaders give their take on public health challenges of the future. The panelists included Associate Professor Vernon Lee, Head of the Singapore Armed Forces’ Biodefence Centre, Dr Joanne Yoong, Assistant Professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and Dr Winston Chin, a Senior Resident under the NUHS Preventive Medicine Residency programme.
The session ended on a heartwarming note as Dean Prof Chia Kee Seng presented Dr Chan with a class photo of their 1984/1985 Master of Science (Public Health and Occupational Medicine) class.