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Southeast Asians make up about 20 per cent of the 450 million people living with diabetes globally, with many of them living in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Experts have blamed this on a prevalence of processed and unhealthy food, a lack of early intervention for patients and misinformation — for a long time, diabetes was thought to be a disease that afflicted people in wealthier countries. But Singapore is leading the fight against diabetes in Southeast Asia, taking a proactive approach to prevention and early treatment. “There aren’t many countries doingRead more

In recent years, Singapore has ramped up its measures to drive down the smoking rate, including banning point-of-sale display, increasing excise taxes and prices, banning alternative tobacco products, and proposing standardised packaging for all tobacco products. Joining this slew of measures with effect from 1 January 2019 are the country’s first precinct-wide smoking ban along Orchard Road, and the raising of the minimum legal age to smoke from 18 to 19. Vice Dean (Research), Associate Professor Alex Cook, said there is clear evidence linking smoking bans to improved cardiovascular healthRead more

Today’s academic institutions are far from maximising their potential for catalysing social change, opined Assistant Professor Clarence Tam and Dr Vittoria Offeddu from SSHSPH, Assistant Professor Voo Teck Chuan, NUS Centre for Biomedical Ethics, and Assistant Professor Neisha Sundaram, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In terms of social value, current assessments appear tokenistic and irrelevant. For example, asking academics how many policies will result from their research, or how much disease will be averted as a result of implementing new interventions, ignores the fact that many academics lack training in policymaking andRead more

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), disorders of the heart and blood vessels, are the leading global cause of death annually, and they are reaching epidemic levels in many Asian countries including Singapore, according to a study released by the Economist Intelligence Unit this month. CVDs contribute to approximately one in three deaths in Singapore, and they levy US$8.1 billion in direct and indirect costs on individuals, their households and the public finances. Modifiable risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol levels account for US$4.9 billion or 60 per cent ofRead more

The Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health has joined the international Decision Support Initiative (iDSI), a global consortium working with low- and middle-income countries as they aim to make healthcare investment decisions that reflect the best value for money. Led by the Center for Global Development, iDSI received a $14.5 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Universal Health Coverage day on 12 December 2018. Over the next five years, the initiative will provide technical support for government agencies in Asia and Africa, as well asRead more

On Tuesday (4 December), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) proposed new measures to reduce sugar intake from pre-packaged, sugar-sweetened beverages, as part of Singapore’s War on Diabetes. From 4 December 2018 to 25 January 2019, MOH and HPB will be conducting a public consultation to seek feedback on four proposed measures: A nationwide ban on the sale of higher-sugar, pre-packaged beverages, A tax on manufacturers and importers of such beverages, Extended advertising regulations for these beverages beyond the current voluntary guidelines, and Mandatory front-of-packRead more

Preliminary investigations by the Ministry of Health (MOH) have not established a definitive link among the three recent cases of food poisoning. However, the number of such incidences in Singapore has jumped by 40 per cent on a year-on-year basis from January to October this year, compared to the corresponding period last year. Severe food poisoning could be caused by bacteria transferred from a food handler’s hands or from vegetables that were not washed thoroughly enough. Other possible factors include lapses in food safety, lack of knowledge in food hygieneRead more

A study on nearly 2,000 children found that 28 per cent of seven-year olds, 50 per cent of 10-year-olds, 62 per cent of 12-year-olds and 73 per cent of 15-year olds are myopic. The study is part of the Singapore Cohort Study of the Risk Factors for Myopia (SCORM) that is led by Professor Saw Seang Mei, who also heads the myopia unit at the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI). Being short-sighted at such a young age does not only mean more years living with the inconvenience of wearing glasses. ForRead more

The School is pleased to announce that Professor Teo Yik Ying, Dean, has been appointed to the Council of Scientists for the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO). The organisation runs the Human Frontier Science Program, a funding programme for frontier research in life sciences. With its offering of long- and short-term fellowships, cross-disciplinary fellowships, career development awards, programme grants and young investigator grants, the Human Frontier Science Program supports world-class scientific research using innovative and multidisciplinary approaches. The Council of Scientists deliberates and decides on scientific matters related to theRead more

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 or minor injuries can result in death — has been raised by many experts and organisations, including WHO, the reality is this is an exaggerated worst case future projection and we will never end up inRead 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 the battle against smoking is not simply in encouraging and supporting existing smokers to kick the habit. It is also in ensuring impressionable adolescents and young adults do not start. “I must emphasise that plainRead more

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 bacteria, antibiotics and hand hygiene, including a station where participants could see the germs on their hands glow. This is the third year that the Singapore SLING team has organised this event, led by Assistant ProfessorRead more