News

On 17 July 2024, global health researchers from SSHSPH and SingHealth-DukeNUS Global Health Institute (SDGHI) gathered to exchange insights on their ongoing work in global health research, practice, and education. Through presentations on current projects and international activities, along with networking opportunities, participants discussed existing partnerships and forged new connections. The event also highlighted our respective regional programmes and explored opportunities for further collaboration in the ASEAN region.

Our warmest congratulations to Prof Ong Choon Nam on being conferred the NUS Emeritus Professorship – making him the second Emeritus Professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH). The Emeritus Professor title is awarded to full professors on retirement in recognition of their sustained and strong contributions in teaching, research and/or service to the University and its community. Prof Ong was the founding Director and a Principal Investigator (PI) of the Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research (CEOHR) in SSHSPH. CEOHR engages research on the identification of biomarkers for the School’s Environmental and Occupational Health Studies, especially on how lifestyle and diets may affect chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. His expertise in environmental health and ability in coordinating multidisciplinary research led to his appointment as the Chairman of the International Expert Panel on the NEWater study (1997-2003) by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. As a water quality expert, he has been advising our national water agency, PUB, for many years, and is currently chairing the PUB’s Grant Review Panel. In acknowledgement of his contributions, Prof Ong received the Singapore President’s National Day Award (PBM) in 2004. Prof Ong also served as the Director of the Life Sciences Institute (LSI) from 2006 to 2009 and subsequently as the Director of the NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI), from 2009 to 2018. During his tenure, he took the lead in initiating the Energy and Environmental Sustainability Programme (E2S2, 2014-2024) under CREATE programme, securing a total support exceeding $40 million from the National Research Foundation (NRF). Additionally, his team successfully obtained a NEA supported programme addressing on Haze and Air Quality in Singapore, and an NRF-CRP Programme on Agrotech for Urban Farming in Singapore. His team’s work on “An on-line senor to monitor surface water Quality” earned them the TechConnect Innovation award (Washington, 2015), and part of this study was presented at the World Economic Forum in 2017. Prof Ong is currently Chairman of the Technical Expert Panel for Development of Environmental Standards on Soil for NEA and SLA. At SSHSPH, Professor Ong oversaw research projects and provided supervision and guidance to his research team who were involved in various government-supported projects. He has a distinguished body of scholarly work, with pivotal contributions reflecting a continued dedication to impactful research. Internationally recognized, he served as an editorial member for several prestigious journals and is frequently invited as a keynote speaker at global conferences. His educational contributions are reinforced by teaching commitments and mentorship, guiding many MSc/PhD students and post-docs. Professor Ong also held positions in evaluation committees responsible for overseeing the appointment and promotion of faculty staff. He served as a mentor to junior Assistant Professors, offering guidance and advice on various aspects, including research projects and the promotion & tenure process. In 2016, Professor Ong was honoured with the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Singapore Medical Association Charity Fund. Currently, he holds the position of Visiting Professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Urban Environment. The conferment of the title Emeritus Professor is a tribute to Prof Ong’s illustrious career, outstanding contributions to NUS, and global recognition in his field. Once again, we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof Ong on achieving this exceptional recognition of his many achievements and wish him continued success in all his future endeavors.

Setting up an ergonomic workspace with a proper desk, chair, and monitor can prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) like back, neck, wrist, and shoulder pains. As part of this year's Total Workplace Safety and Health (Total WSH), we are delighted to have Assoc Prof Ng Wee Tong, Occupational Physician and expert in ergonomic design and workplace wellness, to share his insights on office ergonomics. Two workshops were conducted from 11 July to 12 July 2024. This included tips on proper desk setup and posture, adjusting workstation equipment for comfort and preventing repetitive strain injuries. This was followed by individual ergonomic assessments at the staff's work stations. This programme is supported with the provision of foot rests and extension back rests by the School.

At the Commencement ceremony on 14 July 2024, the School’s newly graduated students celebrated their remarkable achievement at the University Cultural Centre auditorium, in the proud presence of their schoolmates, faculty, and distinguished guests. This momentous occasion marked the triumphant culmination of their academic journey and the auspicious beginning of a new chapter, filled with boundless opportunities to make a significant impact on public health.

Close to 200 graduates, alumni, and faculty came together on the delightful evening of July 10, 2024, at the One Farrer Hotel for the AlumNite 2024 Pre-Commencement Celebrations. The atmosphere was filled with joy and excitement as attendees gathered with their loved ones to celebrate this significant milestone.

In Malaysia, a newly identified malaria parasite similar to HIV has already infected thousands. Originating from monkeys, this mosquito-borne parasitic threat is emerging from the lush rainforest to infect humans. Scientists are now investigating the situation amid fears that it could eventually spread between humans. While Malaysia has eliminated ‘normal’ malaria, since 2011, over 25,000 people in the region have contracted the simian parasite, which causes intense nausea, malaise, fever, and sometimes death.Will there be a persistent spread of this monkey malaria and human-to-human transmission in the near future? Hear from Assoc Prof Kimberly Fornace as she shares her expert opinion on disease transmission and malaria elimination.

The Modelling Infectious Diseases in Southeast Asia (MIDSEA) Summer School, Workshop and Symposium, a 10-day event focused on infectious disease modelling in Southeast Asia, commenced on 19 June, 2024, at the International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (CSE) in Vietnam. This collaborative effort, organised by the Vietnam Science Association and MIDSEA researchers, attracted over 70 scientists and postgraduate students from 17 countries. Throughout the event, prominent researchers presented a diverse array of studies and lectures on infectious disease models, with the ultimate goal of enhancing preparedness for future outbreaks in the region. Notably, Vice Dean (Research), Prof Alex Cook, delivered two lectures sharing his research and expertise on models and statistics of prevalent infectious diseases in Southeast Asia, including dengue fever, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses.

Depending on their choice of insurance provider, individuals who purchase an Integrated Shield Plan (IP) for private hospital treatment can end up paying a staggering difference of more than $85,000 over their lifetimes. This substantial disparity underscores the importance of careful consideration when selecting an IP provider. IP is an optional health coverage provided by private insurance companies, typically for stays in A or B1-type wards in public or private hospitals. Recent data published by MOH shows significant premium variations even among plans categorised under the same ward class, as both coverage and pricing are determined by the insurer. Hear from Assoc Prof Wee Hwee Lin and Asst Prof Cynthia Chen as they discuss how individuals can evaluate their options, in consideration of long-term healthcare expenses, when choosing insurers.

In April, the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concerns about the spread of H5N1 bird flu. Chief Scientist Jeremy Farrar highlighted that it has an "extraordinarily high" mortality rate in humans.

Although the current COVID-19 wave is declining, questions arise with each new variant. Should we wait for vaccines targeting the latest FLiRT variants before getting a booster shot? Hear from Prof Hsu Li Yang as he shares his expert opinion on this.

Negotiations for a new international Pandemic Agreement recently concluded without consensus among World Health Organisation (WHO) member states. This is concerning as the world has faced at least six pandemics, fuelled by the ease and frequency of international travel, in the last two decades.

ASM Microbe 2024, the annual conference of the American Society for Microbiology, took place in Atlanta (Georgia, USA) from 13 to 17 June 2024. It is the largest microbiology conference globally. With over 6000 attendees, it was a meeting of minds amongst scientists and physicians from hospital microbiology labs, technology companies, government and academia. The School was an exhibitor, led by Assoc Prof Yann Felix Boucher. Together with Dr Anna Szuecs from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, they presented the Lockdown! Game which was popular with delegates and flew off the shelves. The innovative card game was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to educate the public about how specific public health measures address the pandemic and how global cooperation is essential in addressing these issues. Assoc Prof Boucher also paid visit to Dr Christine Lee at the CDC, head of the reference laboratory for enteric pathogens and did a presentation the effects of climate change on vibriosis.