News

Prof Teo delves into the health implications of overreliance on GLP-1 drugs, often falsely advertised as a “magic bullet” for weight loss.

A new Scholarship has been established to support deserving students from Southeast Asia who are ready to lead change at a population level.

Congratulations to Dr Foong Pin Sym and her team at the Telehealth Core for receiving the Honorable Mention at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) CHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2026 (CHI’26).

Their award-winning paper, “Words to Describe What I’m Feeling: Exploring the Potential of AI Agents for High Subjectivity Decisions in Advance Care Planning,” was recognised as being among the top 5% of over 6,000 global submissions. This prestigious accolade is reserved for research of exceptional quality, originality, and potential impact within the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).

Navigating High-Stake Decisions with AI
The research explores the innovative role of AI agents in supporting end-of-life decision-making. By investigating three potential roles for AI—Simulator, Advocate, and Legal Proxy—the study examines how technology can help individuals communicate and preserve their healthcare preferences when they are no longer able to do so themselves.

“Receiving this award for our research on agentic AI is a great encouragement to continue our programme on high-stakes, high-subjectivity decision-making. It marks an exciting time in digital health, where AI is opening new vistas for more human-centred healthcare. I am grateful to my co-authors and collaborators for their hard work, and I am pleased that we are now unpacking the ethical ramifications of this work through our ongoing collaboration with the Centre for Biomedical Ethics (CBME).” — Dr Foong Pin Sym, Head of Design, Telehealth Core, SSHSPH.

The School celebrates this achievement, which underscores our commitment to bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and compassionate, ethical healthcare.

We are delighted to share that our Dean Prof Teo Yik Ying has been appointed to the high-level panel of the Accra Reset Initiative.

On 25 March, our partners at the University of Health Sciences (UHS) in Cambodia hosted a seminar on “AI in Healthcare: Keeping Humans at the Centre of Innovation.”

As AI continues to reshape the medical landscape, the discussion revolved around how we can harness technology while remaining people-centric. Speaking as part of a distinguished panel, Assoc Prof Ng Yih Yng shared his insights on the vital importance of human-centred clinical decision-making in an AI-driven world.

The session saw an incrediple turnout of over 500 participants joining both in-person and online, including representatives from the Ministry of Health, national hospitals and centres, and partners from the private sector and global institutions.

A huge thank you to UHS for hosting such a vital dialogue as we navigate the future of health innovation together!

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Associate Professor Ng Wee Tong as Vice Dean (Practice), with effect from 1 April 2026.

Assoc Prof Ng has served as Assistant Dean (Practice) since 1 January 2025. During this time, he has strengthened the School’s translational practice agenda, ensuring that our research remains responsive to pressing public health needs and focused on improving population health outcomes. He has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to bridging academic scholarship with real-world implementation. His extensive experience in public health practice positions him well to drive initiatives that translate evidence into meaningful policy and practice impact, both locally and regionally.

Among his key initiatives as Assistant Dean (Practice) are strengthening the governance and strategic positioning of the Practice Office, deepening partnerships with public sector agencies and health system stakeholders, and enhancing the School’s platforms for translating research into policy and implementation. He has also promoted the integration of practice-based insights into research and education, fostering stronger alignment between academic work and real-world public health priorities.

In his new capacity as Vice Dean (Practice), Assoc Prof Ng will lead the Practice Office in close partnership with the senior leadership team to further advance the School’s practice mission. He will guide efforts to deepen stakeholder engagement, strengthen pathways for research translation into policy and programmes, and ensure sustained and measurable impact on population health.

Assoc Prof Ng will concurrently continue in his roles as Director, Continuing Education and Training (CET), and Head, Occupational Health Education & Research Unit (OHERU).

Please join us in congratulating Wee Tong on his appointment and in wishing him every success in this important role.

Appreciation
We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to Associate Professor Jason Yap for his dedicated service as inaugural Vice Dean (Practice) since 1 July 2020.

During his tenure, Assoc Prof Yap played a pivotal role in establishing and shaping the School’s practice mission, strengthening strategic partnerships with government ministries and public sector stakeholders, and advancing the translation of research into policy and implementation. His leadership laid a strong foundation for the Practice Office and positioned the School as a trusted, evidence-based partner in policy research and advisory work.

With effect from 1 April 2026, Assoc Prof Yap will step down as Vice Dean (Practice) and take on the role of Senior Adviser to the Practice Office. In this capacity, he will provide strategic counsel to the Vice Dean (Practice) on government engagement, policy positioning, and institutional partnerships. He will help sustain senior-level relationships with ministries and statutory boards, advise on commissioned research and policy collaborations, guide research teams on policy relevance and stakeholder engagement, and mentor academic leads involved in government-facing projects. Importantly, this role ensures continuity of key relationships and institutional knowledge, while further strengthening the School’s policy impact agenda.

We thank Assoc Prof Yap for his dedicated service and look forward to his continued guidance and contributions to the School.