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Every November since 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) and member states have commemorated World Antibiotic Awareness Week, an annual observance to improve antibiotic usage and to increase public awareness of the health risks posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR). While the threat of a ‘doomsday scenario’ of a post-antibiotic era — where common infections orRead more

The recent proposal to introduce standardised tobacco packaging has elicited strong responses from diverse sectors. Many have lauded the move, including Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, who tweeted a congratulatory message to Singapore. However, some have derided the move as superficial and naive, and one which is unlikely to change the behaviour of smokers. But

Last weekend, over 500 children and parents took a peek into the world of bacteria and antibiotics at the World Antibiotics Awareness Week (WAAW) library workshop, organised by the School’s Singapore Social, Lifestyle and Infection Networks Group (Singapore SLING). Held at Jurong Regional Library on 10-11 November, the event featured different stations for children to learn about

The Ministry of Health recommends people get the flu shot once a year, particularly those at high risk of infection, including young children aged six months to five years, pregnant women, the elderly, patients with chronic conditions or weakened immunity, people living in long-term care facilities and healthcare workers. Yet vaccination levels are low in

On 31 October, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that it will introduce standardised packaging for all tobacco products sold in Singapore, as part of ongoing efforts for a tobacco-free society. If enacted, the new measures may take effect from 2020 and all tobacco products may soon be required to be sold in plain or

A rapidly ageing population is no cause for despair, shared the five panellists on the Straits Times-AIA Roundtable on ‘Managing Singapore’s Health with an Ageing Population: What more needs to be done?’ Being old is not the problem, they pointed out, but being sick, at any age, is. Speaking with Straits Times senior health correspondent

Antibiotics are critical for human and animal health, and it is not an exaggeration to state that they are one of a few critical discoveries that have improved human health dramatically in the past century. Yet, their use in humans and animals are not without risks and trade-offs. As with all medicines, there is a

A study commissioned by the Ministry of Health and involving 5,415 adult inpatients from 13 public and private acute hospitals found that 11.9 per cent of the patients caught an infection while being treated for other conditions. About one in four of the affected had an infection in their bloodstream, while a similar number had

In the first scientific study ranking countries based on human capital, Singapore came in 13th in the world out of 195 countries and territories in 2016, up from 43rd place in 1990. Recently published in The Lancet, the study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation looked at expected human capital: the number of years of peak

For incoming students from AY2019/2020 onwards, there will be a reduction of tuition fees by up to 75% for Singaporean Citizens, 75% for Singaporean Permanent Residents and 65% for International Students, if deemed eligible for the Ministry of Education subsidy. Tuition fees for AY2019/2020 will be released by the NUS Registrar’s Office in due course. More information may