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Low income families living in rental flats in Singapore typically rely on processed foods such as instant noodles and canned food as daily staples. The rising cost of food is making it even tougher for these residents to have nutritious meals with fresh vegetables and quality protein. NGOs that provide food donations to these communities are also limited by declining resources.

Just days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency, Thailand confirmed Asia’s first case of the new deadlier strain. With the virus potentially spreading more widely, Southeast Asian countries are ramping up precautionary border screenings.

The rapid spread of the new mpox strain, clade 1b, in Africa led the World Health Organisation to declare a public health emergency last week. In response, countries across Asia are ramping up surveillance as Thailand reports its first suspected case of this more dangerous variant. Countries are now tightening health screenings at borders, closely monitoring arrivals from African states hardest hit by the virus. Hear from Prof Hsu Li Yang as he discusses the risk of clade 1b importations into Southeast Asia.

The inaugural Global Health Thought Leadership Dialogue; Small Countries, Global Impact: Shaping the Future of Global Health was held on 13 August 2024 at the NUS Shaw Foundation Alumni House. Jointly organised by the NUS Global Health Office and NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, the dialogue features a distinguished panel of global health experts and thought leaders, coming together to discuss the role that small countries can play in the global health landscape.

"Preservatives", "artificial flavouring", "high fructose corn syrup". There words are regulars in the ingredient list of ultra-processed foods that we will never find in fresh, natural foods. Although these additives improve the shelf life and taste of foods, they harm our health just like cigarettes for this generation. Moreover, they are so smartly designed and marketed that we often ignore the associated dangers. Beyond the impact on individual health, these foods worsen social inequities as they make up a significant portion of the diet for low-income groups.

On 6 Aug 2024, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung officially opened the NUS Public Health Lao PDR Programme in Vientiane, Lao PDR, which is a collaborative effort between the School and the Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute (TPHI). Established in February 2023 and led by Dr Kiesha Prem, the programme focuses on public health research and education to generate evidence to inform health policies. Training courses and opportunities are also made available for researchers to apply for grants.

Are you passionate about making a positive impact in the field of public health? Designed for future public health leaders like you, the MPH programme is a gateway to a fulfilling and impactful career that transcends boundaries, shapes healthier communities, and transforms lives. Our graduates have gone on to assume leadership positions in vast array of organizations including government agencies, NGOs, hospitals, and pharmaceuticals.

Vaping was banned in Singapore in 2018, yet people are still vaping or bringing vape into Singapore. Despite penalties, vaping offences rose by 60% between 2022 and 2023, with a quarter of offenders being under 18. This alarming trend, especially among youths, raises serious health concerns. What makes vaping so difficult to tackle, and what can be done to discourage it? Hear from Dean, Prof Teo Yik Ying, and Asst Prof Yvette as they share their expertise on this pressing issue.

As part of a collaborative effort to improve public health in Lao DPR, the School together with NUS Global Health collaborated with the Lao Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and Wateroam to bring clean water to rural Laos.

On 17 July 2024, global health researchers from SSHSPH and SingHealth-DukeNUS Global Health Institute (SDGHI) gathered to exchange insights on their ongoing work in global health research, practice, and education. Through presentations on current projects and international activities, along with networking opportunities, participants discussed existing partnerships and forged new connections. The event also highlighted our respective regional programmes and explored opportunities for further collaboration in the ASEAN region.

Our warmest congratulations to Prof Ong Choon Nam on being conferred the NUS Emeritus Professorship – making him the second Emeritus Professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH). The Emeritus Professor title is awarded to full professors on retirement in recognition of their sustained and strong contributions in teaching, research and/or service to the University and its community. Prof Ong was the founding Director and a Principal Investigator (PI) of the Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research (CEOHR) in SSHSPH. CEOHR engages research on the identification of biomarkers for the School’s Environmental and Occupational Health Studies, especially on how lifestyle and diets may affect chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. His expertise in environmental health and ability in coordinating multidisciplinary research led to his appointment as the Chairman of the International Expert Panel on the NEWater study (1997-2003) by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. As a water quality expert, he has been advising our national water agency, PUB, for many years, and is currently chairing the PUB’s Grant Review Panel. In acknowledgement of his contributions, Prof Ong received the Singapore President’s National Day Award (PBM) in 2004. Prof Ong also served as the Director of the Life Sciences Institute (LSI) from 2006 to 2009 and subsequently as the Director of the NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), from 2009 to 2018. During his tenure, he took the lead in initiating the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Programme (E2S2, 2014-2024) under CREATE programme, securing a total support exceeding $40 million from the National Research Foundation (NRF). Additionally, his team successfully obtained a NEA supported programme addressing on Haze and Air Quality in Singapore, and an NRF-CRP Programme on Agrotech for Urban Farming in Singapore. His team’s work on “An on-line senor to monitor surface water Quality” earned them the TechConnect Innovation award (Washington, 2015), and part of this study was presented at the World Economic Forum in 2017. Prof Ong is currently Chairman of the Technical Expert Panel for Development of Environmental Standards on Soil for NEA and SLA. At SSHSPH, Professor Ong oversaw research projects and provided supervision and guidance to his research team who were involved in various government-supported projects. He has a distinguished body of scholarly work, with pivotal contributions reflecting a continued dedication to impactful research. Internationally recognized, he served as an editorial member for several prestigious journals and is frequently invited as a keynote speaker at global conferences. His educational contributions are reinforced by teaching commitments and mentorship, guiding many MSc/PhD students and post-docs. Professor Ong also held positions in evaluation committees responsible for overseeing the appointment and promotion of faculty staff. He served as a mentor to junior Assistant Professors, offering guidance and advice on various aspects, including research projects and the promotion & tenure process. In 2016, Professor Ong was honoured with the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Singapore Medical Association Charity Fund. Currently, he holds the position of Visiting Professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Urban Environment. The conferment of the title Emeritus Professor is a tribute to Prof Ong’s illustrious career, outstanding contributions to NUS, and global recognition in his field. Once again, we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof Ong on achieving this exceptional recognition of his many achievements and wish him continued success in all his future endeavors.

Setting up an ergonomic workspace with a proper desk, chair, and monitor can prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) like back, neck, wrist, and shoulder pains. As part of this year's Total Workplace Safety and Health (Total WSH), we are delighted to have Assoc Prof Ng Wee Tong, Occupational Physician and expert in ergonomic design and workplace wellness, to share his insights on office ergonomics. Two workshops were conducted from 11 July to 12 July 2024. This included tips on proper desk setup and posture, adjusting workstation equipment for comfort and preventing repetitive strain injuries. This was followed by individual ergonomic assessments at the staff's work stations. This programme is supported with the provision of foot rests and extension back rests by the School.