NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health

We are proud to host students from UCL Global Business School for Health, from London, the UK, for an academic exchange on population health practices.

Assoc Prof Jason Yap shared insights on how population health, integrated care and clinical care are interrelated, and how the healthcare initiatives that adapt alongside national challenges, also present new opportunities for development.

We thank everyone for the thoughtful perspectives, knowledge sharing across health systems, contributing to education and global health research.

Occupational diseases often develop gradually and remain unnoticed until they become more serious workplace concerns.

To help professionals better recognise, manage and prevent occupational disease cases, Assoc Prof Ng Wee Tong, Head of the Occupational Health Education & Research Unit, led the webinar “Hidden Risks, Hard Truths: A Practical Guide to Managing Common Occupational Disease Cases at the Workplace”. The webinar provided practical insights into navigating real-world occupational disease scenarios and the responsibilities of different stakeholders in protecting employee health.

The session saw strong participation, with more than 430 participants from across the workplace health and safety community, occupational health nurses, doctors, Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) officers, and Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) practitioners.

Through workplace-based examples and case discussions, the session highlighted common challenges that organisations may face, in recognising early warning signs, understanding when reporting obligations are triggered, and distinguishing between workplace-related symptoms and conditions that may be considered occupational diseases. This included practical approaches to managing common occupational disease concerns, including work-related musculoskeletal disorders, noise-induced hearing loss and contact dermatitis.

A key takeaway is the consideration of using a holistic approach when managing occupational disease cases, to not only support the affected employee, but also review workplace hazards and strengthening preventive measures to reduce recurrence.

For professionals looking to further strengthen their capabilities in occupational health and workplace risk management, there is an upcoming programme in August 2026 - Professional Certificate in Implementing Total Workplace Safety and Health (Total WSH) in the Workplace. This programme provides practical approaches for identifying, assessing and managing occupational health risks in the workplace.

Register here: bit.ly/4w3OhCU

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are projected to be a rapidly growing healthcare cost in Singapore.

A series of studies led by Asst Prof Wenjia Chen, researchers Yah Ru Juang and Laura Lim Huey Mien, in collaboration with PHRISM, Observational & Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI) and LKCMedicine’s TARIPH research programme, found that patients incurred annual healthcare costs averaging SGD $1,610 per patient, around three times higher than non-asthma patients. patients are likely to face greater healthcare needs, with annual healthcare costs averaging SGD $5,290 per patient-year.

Asian-specific patterns were observed, particularly from respiratory, circulatory, and other metabolic diseases. They also identified high costs of adverse health events related to Oral Corticosteroid (OCS) use in Asthma.

The results indicate that establishing Asian-specific multimorbid care models, will be essential to improving chronic respiratory care and ensuring long-term healthcare sustainability. It can also help to reduce avoidable risk factors, such as excessive OCS use.

Integrated, multimorbidity-focused care can include OCS use and multimorbidity risk screening in primary care, structured referral pathways for high-multimorbidity-burden patients and multidisciplinary heart–lung–metabolic clinics.

Please refer to Press Release here: bit.ly/3SFGwol

We had the pleasure of hosting Prof Amirhossein Takian, Senior Scientist and Team Lead at the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, WHO Geneva for a Global Health Seminar on defining health systems of the future, to tackle multifaceted challenges. The session was moderated by Assoc Prof Piya Hanvoravongchai.

The seminar delved into:
- Global health challenges which are multiplying and intersecting, such as climate change, conflict, digital transformation, and demographic shifts, and how our health systems cannot be designed in silos.
- How building health systems should be proactive and adaptive, to anticipate future needs, not just react to them.
- Why taking a foresight approach can develop future models of tailored health systems: country experience; genuine engagement with complexity; attention to policies shaping health systems; balance between pragmatism and idealism; and the active inclusion of diverse viewpoints.

Critically, health systems should function equitably for the communities they are meant to serve. We thank everyone who contributed to this meaningful discussion.

Discover the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare and learn how emerging technologies such as generative AI, RAG, and AI agents can support innovation in clinical and operational settings.

Join our upcoming AI for Health and Healthcare course, led by Dr Yeuk Fan Ng, to build the knowledge and practical skills needed to leverage AI for better healthcare delivery, organizational efficiency, and informed decision-making.

📅 9 – 10 July 2026, Thursday – Friday, 9.00am – 5.30pm
📍MD1 Tahir Foundation Building, NUS

Registration closes on 26 June 2026, sign up now: https://sph.nus.edu.sg/lifelonglearning/ai-for-health-and-healthcare/

We are delighted to share that Assoc Prof Yi Siyan has received the Outstanding Cambodian Scientists Gold Award 2025 and has been recognised as a distinguished honouree of the Asian Scientist 100, which celebrates leading researchers and innovators across 24 countries in Asia.

This recognition honours his significant contributions to public health research, particularly in infectious diseases, sexual and reproductive health, and mental health. Through his commitment to rigorous research and evidence-based policymaking, Assoc Prof Yi has helped improve health outcomes for communities in Cambodia and across the region.

The Asian Scientist 100 recognises researchers whose work has advanced scientific knowledge and created meaningful societal impact. Assoc Prof Yi’s achievements underscore the vital role of public health research in addressing complex health challenges and shaping policies that improve lives.

Driven by a passion for improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, his work focuses on translating epidemiologic and implementation research into practical strategies that strengthen health systems and inform policy. Through close collaboration with communities and Ministries of Health across Southeast Asia, he continues to advance equitable, evidence-based solutions that ensure effective interventions reach those who need them most.

Please join us in congratulating Assoc Prof Yi on this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to his continued contributions to advancing public health research and practice across Asia.

Singapore has made significant progress in reducing smoking rates, but the rise of **ng has amplified ni****ne dependence and other toxins among youth substantially. As va**ng devices are heavily promoted through digital channels, purchased via encrypted messaging platforms and socially normalised, more young people are being exposed to risk of va**ng addiction at an early age.

Youth va**ng presents a growing challenge for families, schools and policymakers alike, raising concerns about ni****ne dependence, social influences, enforcement effectiveness and the emergence of a new generation of ni****ne users. While strong regulatory action remains essential, there is increasing recognition that addressing youth addiction requires more than deterrence alone. Families will need the confidence to seek help early without fearing consequences, public health strategies can balance enforcement with support, rehabilitation and prevention.

Hear from Dean, Prof Teo Yik Ying as he examines how Singapore’s evolving approach to va**ng and how families, communities and policymakers can play a part in early interventions.

Read the commentary here: bit.ly/4vIK2g1

Despite growing awareness of mental health and significant investments in support services, many Singaporeans continue to face challenges accessing trusted and timely care in their daily lives. The gap between national mental health goals and lived experiences remains a pressing concern.

This disconnect has further implications for public health, workforce well-being and social resilience. From employees hesitant to speak openly despite workplace provided mental health services, to caregivers and young people struggling to find support that feels accessible, connected and safe, the challenge extends beyond awareness to creating environments where individuals can safely seek help and thrive.

Hear from Asst Prof Rayner Tan and Anthea Ong as they delve into why Singapore’s next mental health frontier may not simply be expanding services, but building a society that enables people and institutions to flourish, not merely function under pressure and what this means for the future of mental well-being in Singapore.

Read the opinion piece here: bit.ly/4xinPqD

Explore how integrated care can transform healthcare delivery through systems thinking, population health approaches, and practical implementation frameworks.

Join our upcoming Integrated Care course with Dr Ng Yeuk Fan and gain the skills and tools needed to design, implement, and evaluate integrated care initiatives across healthcare and social care settings.

📅 20 – 22 July 2026, Monday – Wednesday, 9.00am – 5.00pm
📍MD1 Tahir Foundation Building, NUS

Registration closes on 6 July 2026. Sign up now: https://sph.nus.edu.sg/lifelonglearning/designing-implementing-integrated-care-a-practice-systems-approach-for-healthcare-and-social-care-professionals/

While diseases such as Ebola and hantavirus often dominate global headlines, continues to pose a serious and ongoing public health threat — particularly to young children.

Despite being vaccine-preventable with well-established medical interventions, the World Health Organization estimated that 95,000 people died from measles in 2024, the majority of whom were unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of five.

Recent outbreaks in Bangladesh and the resurgence of measles across parts of Asia, including Singapore, highlight growing global challenges such as declining vaccination coverage, disruptions to immunisation programmes, and widening immunity gaps among children.

Hear from Prof Hsu Li Yang as he reflects on why certain disease outbreaks receive disproportionate public attention and resources, while persistent threats such as measles receive comparatively less visibility.

Read the commentary here: bit.ly/4g17gZZ