News

We are proud to announce our role as a founding member of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Clinical Trials Forum (GCTF), a critical new platform dedicated to strengthening clinical trial ecosystems through global collaboration.

Most migrant workers in Singapore prefer in-person mental health support, yet many hesitate — fearing job loss, stigma, or language difficulties. A study commissioned by the Ministry of Manpower and conducted by the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and the Institute of Mental Health found that while levels of depression, anxiety, and stress are relatively low, these deep-rooted barriers continue to limit access to care.

How can mental health care become more accessible, inclusive, and culturally sensitive for vulnerable worker populations?

Find out how these findings point to the need for community and workplace initiatives that normalise help-seeking and build trust in mental health support.

An estimated 15,680 rural residents in South-east Asia die each year from heat-related complications worsened by deforestation. Despite the scale of these impacts, more local, population-based studies are needed to better understand how deforestation and rising temperatures affect community health.

Hear from Assoc Prof Kimberly Fornace as she explains why land cover must be factored into heat warning systems, and how rural communities, not just urban ones, face growing risks that existing health data often overlook, as the effects of rising heat differ across populations.

Photo credit: The Straits Times

Researchers have found that a “brain age gap”, where the brain appears older than a person’s actual age, may help explain why some adults are at higher risk of cognitive decline.

Can measuring “brain age” help doctors detect decline earlier and guide prevention strategies?

What may seem like harmless vaping has grown into a $30B industry with 82M users worldwide. Increasingly, vapes are being laced with new psychoactive substances that are cheap, accessible, and harder to regulate, fueling record levels of drug use among today’s youth.

Hear from Asst Prof Rayner Tan as he highlights how factors such as stigma, cost, and fear of legal consequences often prevent vulnerable groups from accessing much-needed interventions like therapy, support groups, and psychoeducation.

The global health system is at a critical juncture. Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting geopolitical dynamics mean the current global health architecture must be rethought to become more equitable, inclusive, and responsive. We are leading the Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue for the Wellcome Trust’s global initiative, culminating in a convening in Singapore on 4–6 November 2025. Your perspective is vital: we invite professionals from all sectors to complete our online survey to help shape global reform priorities.

We are delighted to share that Dr Cecilia Teng and Dr Andre Matthias Müller have been recognised at the Annual Teaching Excellence Awards (ATEA) awarded by NUS. The ATEA honours excellence in teaching, from instruction and assessment to educational design, feedback, and the promotion of best practices through leadership and teamwork.

The Annual Teaching Excellence Award (Individual) was presented to Cecilia for her leadership in developing the undergraduate capstone internship course in the Public Health Minor and Second Major programmes, using evidence-based frameworks to deepen student engagement, collaboration, and professional growth.

The Annual Teaching Excellence Award (Team) was presented to Andre (Team Lead) and his team, Assoc Prof Jeannette Lee, Assoc Prof Jason Yap, Dr Ann Toh, and Eleanor Ong, for designing an innovative course for 900 freshmen across health disciplines, instilling values of empathy, compassion, and holistic person-centred care.

Please join us in celebrating their well-deserved recognition!

The Ministry of Health has announced major plans to strengthen care for Singapore’s ageing population, with a stronger emphasis on shifting services into the community. This includes expanding hospital and nursing home capacity, while ensuring that seniors have access to support closer to home.

But care must go beyond physical health. Asst Prof Su Aw discusses the importance of addressing both the mental and physical wellbeing of older adults, and what this means for training healthcare providers, delivering community-based care and creating safe spaces and programmes that support seniors’ mental health and social connections.

We are delighted to announce that Asst Prof Jasper Tromp and Dr Andre Matthias Müller have been awarded the NUHS Teaching Excellence Award 2025.

This prestigious honour recognises educators who embody the NUHS values of Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Compassion, Excellence, and Patient-Centredness, while demonstrating passion and innovation in nurturing the next generation of public health professionals.

Most adults spend nearly 40 years, a third of their waking lives at work. This makes the workplace a powerful yet often overlooked setting for promoting health and well-being.

How can workplaces evolve beyond productivity to become drivers of health and well-being?

Hear from Prof Teo Yik Ying as he advocates for “Work Well SG”, a vision that reimagines workplaces with preventive care, healthier environments, and mental health-focused cultures at their core.