News

Recently, a man in the United States discovered a 1.6m tapeworm hanging from his rear end. The patient had eaten sushi and sashimi almost daily and his doctor shared that is most likely how he came to host the parasite. How common are such gut parasites in Singapore? Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, Programme Leader (Antimicrobial Resistance), shared that such infestations are quite rare here, saying that he had heard of at least two such cases in Singapore last year. However, he added that this number may not be accurate asRead more

In the most recent episode of Talking Point, Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang and Assistant Professor Mark Chen I-Cheng speak about the misuse and abuse of antibiotics and the deadly consequences that come with it. “We’re concerned that … people with the simplest types of infections, like (from) a prick on a rose thorn or cuts, can die,” said A/Prof Hsu, who leads the School’s Antimicrobial Resistance Programme. Learn more about the consequences of antibiotics abuse and what we can do to stop the rise of superbugs: Are You Abusing Antibiotics?, Talking Point, ChannelRead more

Making germs on your hand glow, looking at bacteria cells through the lens of a microscope, listening to stories about germs… These are some of the things children did to peek into the world of bacteria and antibiotics at the ‘WAAW! It’s World Antibiotics Awareness Week’ library workshop. Organised by the School’s Singapore Social, Lifestyle and Infection Networks Group (Singapore SLING) led by Assistant Professor Clarence Tam, the WAAW outreach event was held at Jurong Regional Library on 11-12 Nov and at Marine Parade Public Library on 25-26 Nov. The workshop featured differentRead more

In the latest episode of Why It Matters, Assistant Professor Mary Chong helps Joshua, the show’s host, in his quest to find out how much sugar children in Singapore are eating, and whether they fall within the daily limits recommended by the Health Promotion Board (10 teaspoons) and World Health Organization (six teaspoons). Watch the episode to discover hidden sugars in the unlikeliest of foods, and learn what we can do to reduce our daily sugar intake, and more importantly our children’s. The Hidden Sugar, Why It Matters, Channel NewsAsia, 27 NovemberRead more

“Why is Singapore opting to progressively roll out the minimum legal 21-year age limit for smoking over the next three years instead of immediate implementation?” “Should we consider offering electronic nicotine delivery systems options, such as e-cigarettes, as cessation aids to current smokers?” Professor Teo Yik Ying, Vice Dean (Research) and Dean Designate, addresses these two issues that were raised during the recent parliamentary debate regarding Singapore’s smoking bill. Read more: Singapore’s calibrated approach to e-cigarettes and raising legal age for smoking, TODAY Opinion, 21 November 2017

The School is pleased to welcome its new vice deanery leadership, with effect from 01 January 2018. Appointment of Associate Professor Rob van Dam as Vice Dean (Academic Affairs) and re-appointment as Domain Leader (Epidemiology Domain) Associate Professor Rob van Dam has been appointed as the new Vice Dean (Academic Affairs). He will formally assume his new role with effect from 01 January 2018. Prior to joining NUS in 2010, Rob was a faculty member at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the VU University Amsterdam. He currentlyRead more

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 Professor Lee Hin Peng, who was also the Study’s co-founding principal investigator. The award recognises Dr Yu for her commitment and contributions to public health as well as her devotion to mentoring the next generation of publicRead 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 infections they cause in humans and animals. “The extreme scenario of AMR – of having no effective antibiotics to treat infections, will bring us to a post-antibiotic era where simple infections may kill. Even today,Read more

“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 immediate action is taken, with half of those deaths occurring in Asia. Such infections increase healthcare costs by prolonging hospital stays and requiring treatment with more expensive drugs, and without effective antibiotics, we could evenRead more

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 cent. Noting these figures, Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, who leads the School’s Antimicrobial Resistance Programme and UHS-SPH Integrated Research Programme (USIRP), shared, “I would even propose providing the influenza vaccine free to adults and childrenRead more

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 the most cost-effective ways of preventing infectious diseases,” said Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, who leads the School’s Antimicrobial Resistance Programme and UHS-SPH Integrated Research Programme (USIRP). “The important public health message here is that vaccinesRead more

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 Epidemiology, and Clinical Director of Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s Communicable Disease Centre. In addition to providing clinical care, primary healthcare doctors play an important role in contributing to surveillance, research and prevention of dengue. StartingRead more