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Organised by the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, the Singapore Chinese Health Study: A Legacy for the Future symposium was held on 2 November 2017. Dr Mimi Yu, co-founding principal investigator of the Singapore Chinese Health Study (SCHS), was presented the inaugural SSHSPH Distinguished Service Award by Dean, Professor Chia Kee Seng and Emeritus ProfessorRead more

On 1 November, Dr Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Health and Transport, announced the National Strategic Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). AMR is an era-defining global public health danger that occurs when microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses or parasites) evolve and grow resistant to the antimicrobial drugs used to treat the

“Antibiotics are not always the best treatment for infections,” write Assistant Professor Clarence Tam and PhD student Jane Lim in their opinion piece for The Straits Times. The cost of antimicrobial resistance, including antibiotic resistance, will be detrimental if nothing is done about it now. Drug-resistant infections could kill 7 million people annually by 2050 if no

According to the National Health Surveillance Survey 2013, only 15.2 per cent of Singaporeans aged 50 and above were vaccinated for influenza the year before. A separate audit at Bukit Batok Polyclinic in 2013 showed that uptake of the pneumococcal vaccine among at-risk adults with chronic obstructive lung disease and asthma was only 5.9 per

Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health announced the National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS) which lists who should be vaccinated and when. NAIS also includes immunisation for diseases such as the flu and hepatitis B. What’s more, adult Singaporeans can use up to $400 of their Medisave account for these vaccinations. “Vaccines remain one of

While reducing mosquito breeding grounds and involving the community are key to limiting transmission of dengue fever, the role of the primary healthcare system must not be underestimated, urge Assistant Professor, Dr Vincent Pang, Director of the Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, and Professor Leo Yee Sin, Director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases and

“We need a mindset change — we have always valued wealth over health. Now we have to pursue both health and wealth together,” said Dean, Professor Chia Kee Seng at the biennial Singapore HEALTH (Helping Employees Achieve Life-time Health) Award 2017. Initiated by the Health Promotion Board (HPB), the award recognises organisations with strong commitment to promote

In addition to overeating and lack of physical activity, smoking is one of many Singaporeans’ poor lifestyle choices and habits, said Dean, Professor Chia Kee Seng. While the country has made significant progress in smoking control, the proportion of smokers among Singaporeans has plateaued over the past 10 to 15 years, indicating a significant number of

Gestational diabetes (GDM) affects 20 to 30 per cent of pregnant women in Singapore – one of the highest rates in the world. These women not only face a higher risk of developing diabetes post-pregnancy, but are also more likely to give birth to heavy babies who are at higher risk of developing childhood obesity.

Periods of extreme blood sugar levels put diabetics at significantly higher risk of developing serious complications, according to a recent study by Assistant Professor Kavita Venkataraman and her team. Using more than 11 years of data on blood glucose levels from over 6,000 diabetics aged 52 to 67, the study revealed that the impact of high glucose