News

MediShield Life premiums are set to rise, with the freeze on Integrated Shield Plan (ISP) premium rates lifted as of 1 September 2024 and several ISP providers already increasing premiums, particularly for private hospital plans. How can we effectively control the rise in health insurance premiums? Hear from Assoc Prof Wee Hwee Lin as she shares how healthcare financing works in Singapore and provides practical adjustments that insurers, healthcare providers, and patients can adopt to play their part in keeping premiums affordable.

As Singapore adapts to post-pandemic norms, school canteen operators are struggling. This has led to a rise in vending machines and food deliveries, replacing fresh and affordable meals. Once a haven for healthy meals, school canteens now face uncertainty in securing reliable, long-term operators to manage food stalls. How can we ensure that students continue to have access to nutritious, affordable meals? Hear from Dean, Prof Teo Yik Ying, as he shares his expertise on the importance of reevaluating school meal provisions and advocates for a centralized catering model to support student health and nutrition.

The year 2024 marks the 13th anniversary of the School, a momentous occasion that brought together faculty and staff for a celebration on 4 Oct 2024. The festivities commenced with an engaging and interactive fire safety briefing, setting an energetic tone for the day. Since its establishment in Oct 2011 as Singapore's national school of public health, the School has grown remarkably, making substantial contributions to public health, in both research and education. In his address, Dean, Prof Teo Yik Ying highlighted the School’s key achievements and strategic initiatives over the past year, particularly in global health and artificial intelligence. Once again, we were thrilled to see everyone reunited to commemorate this significant milestone. Here’s to many more years of excellence and impactful contributions in the field of public health!

Singapore is expanding NEWater production through the Tuas NEWater Factory to meet future demands. Alongside this, PUB is developing a NEWater exhibit at Marina Barrage and a learning gallery at the upcoming Tuas Nexus, Singapore’s first integrated water and solid waste treatment facility.

We are delighted to announce that Assoc Prof Adeline Seow and Asst Prof Jasper Tromp have been awarded the NUHS Teaching Excellence Award 2024. This prestigious recognition celebrates their steadfast commitment to education and their tireless efforts in nurturing the next generation of publichealth professionals.

On 10 September 2024, the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (Project Hayat, meaning 'life' in Malay) White Paper was launched in conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Day. Jointly organised by SG Mental Health Matters and Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, the event featured a panel of suicide experts and professionals.

The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) presented the School with the "Friend of SRC Award" on 2 September 2024. The award was received by Vice Dean (Education), Associate Professor Liow Chee Hsiang, and Honorary Visiting Associate Professor Sri Chander s/o Tikamdas Nebhraj, from Guest-of-Honour, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. This prestigious recognition is awarded to individuals, groups, or organisations that have contributed their time, resources, or expertise to advance the mission of SRC.

Congratulations to Asst Prof Rayner Tan on being selected for the 6th ASEAN Youth Fellowship 2024. Launched to commemorate Singapore’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2018, the Fellowship is an exclusive leadership development programme organised by the National Youth Council (NYC) in partnership with Singapore International Foundation (SIF) to grow and connect ASEAN young leaders. As an ASEAN Youth Fellow, Rayner will play a significant role in making a positive difference in regional communities and forge valuable networks to bring the ASEAN community forward.

In 2023, Singapore recorded 322 suicides, a notable decrease from the previous year. Despite this progress, the complexity and multifaceted nature of suicide as a "wicked problem" underscores the ongoing need for focused attention. The issue remains under-addressed due to stigma and a lack of widespread understanding of its severity. What actions can be taken, and what are the essentials for effective prevention? Hear from Assistant Professor Rayner Tan and other esteemed experts as they advocate for a more comprehensive suicide prevention strategy.

Singapore has recorded 2102 COVID-19 deaths, a figure considered low by public health experts. The age-standardised death rate, an indicator that adjusts for an aging population to allow fair comparisons of mortality rates over time rose from 5.2 per 1000 residents in 2020 to a peak of 5.9 in 2022, before settling back to 5.6 in 2023. Does the age-standardized death rate accurately reflect Singapore's pandemic response compared to other affluent nations? Hear from Prof Teo Yik Ying and Prof Alex Cook as they share their opinions on this.

Assistant Professor Jasper Tromp was conferred the Young Researcher Award at the NUS University Awards 2024. The annual Awards pay tribute to members of the NUS community who, through their consistently high performance and resolute commitment, raised the bar in the areas of education, research and service. The Young Researcher Award honoured promising researchers for their groundbreaking work, which holds the potential to push the boundaries of knowledge in their respective fields. Asst Prof Tromp is a renowned researcher specialising in heart failure, artificial intelligence, and health systems research. His pioneering work in applying machine learning algo

Low income families living in rental flats in Singapore typically rely on processed foods such as instant noodles and canned food as daily staples. The rising cost of food is making it even tougher for these residents to have nutritious meals with fresh vegetables and quality protein. NGOs that provide food donations to these communities are also limited by declining resources.