News

Singapore has made mental health a national priority, and efforts are steadily gaining ground. However, the next crucial step lies in building emotional resilience within communities to bridge the gap between national policies and everyday care.

Hear from Asst Prof Rayner Tan as he explains that while these policies have created pathways for people to access knowledge and services, greater focus is needed in ensuring effective implementation, particularly in expanding the availability of competent care.

Newer antibiotics designed to treat resistant pathogens may offer superior efficacy and fewer side effects compared to older alternatives. However, access remains severely limited in Asian countries struggling with a high Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) burden.

This workshop will share the latest research findings from the ADVANCE-ID network and provide a crucial platform for stakeholders from all sectors—including funders, industry, policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and patient advocates—to engage in meaningful interactions and develop action strategies.

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.