Speech by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health, at the 60th Anniversary Celebration of Gleneagles Hospital, 30 June 2019

Dr Tan See Leng, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IHH Healthcare and Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Parkway Pantai

Mr Low Soon Teck, Group Chief Financial Officer, IHH Healthcare and Parkway Pantai

Mr Phua Tien Beng, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Operations Division, Parkway Pantai

Ms Hui Hwa Koh-Minjoot, Chief Executive Officer, Gleneagles Hospital,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

1. It is my pleasure to join you this morning to commemorate the 60^th anniversary of Gleneagles Hospital with its community of doctors and staff. I am also delighted to see the children who will be benefitting from The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and other guests here to have a good time with friends, colleagues and family.

   
   

2. As we commemorate Gleneagles Hospital’s 60^th anniversary, we are reminded that Gleneagles Hospital had humble beginnings as Singapore’s first private hospital. Gleneagles Hospital was founded by the British European Association, now known as the British Association, and was opened to the public initially as a 45-bed nursing home in 1959. It has since grown to the 258-bed tertiary care hospital of today, offering a comprehensive range of specialty services.

   
   

   PARTNERING PRIVATE HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE CARE

3. Just as Gleneagles Hospital evolved from a nursing home to a tertiary hospital, the healthcare needs of Singaporeans have also evolved significantly over the years. Like other developed countries, Singapore is now faced with a rapidly ageing population and increasing healthcare demand amidst rising costs. To continue delivering accessible, affordable and quality care to Singaporeans, it is imperative that we meet these challenges together as one healthcare family. This means that beyond the public healthcare sector, there are opportunities for our private sector providers to work with us to ensure that patients receive appropriate quality care at reasonable charges.

   
   

4. We look to our private sector partners to support our national healthcare objectives. To do this, we have been forging closer collaborations with our private sector partners, to support the healthcare needs of subsidised patients in Singapore. I am heartened that Gleneagles Hospital has been supporting these efforts.

   
   

5. Since 2013, Gleneagles Hospital together with Parkway East Hospital, have been collaborating with Changi General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital to receive dengue patients. These collaborations, tapping on private sector bed capacity, have benefited Singaporeans and have helped ease the load on the public hospitals especially during dengue surge situations. We look forward to building on such collaborations, and to develop new partnerships with Gleneagles and other private sector partners.

   
   

   COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT SINGAPORE’S BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL JOURNEY

6. I am also happy to note that Gleneagles Hospital is on board the nation’s Baby-Friendly Hospital journey. Gleneagles Hospital was among the first private hospitals under Parkway Pantai to cease all sponsorships from formula milk companies and introduce more affordable ready-to-drink formula milk as part of the milk rotation. I’m heartened to hear that the hospital is working towards attaining the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) certification under the World Health Organization and UNICEF by the end of this year.

   
   

7. With the BFHI certification, Gleneagles Hospital will provide a conducive environment for successful breastfeeding and optimal nutrition for babies from birth, giving every newborn the healthiest start in life. Achieving BFHI status would be a fitting milestone to mark the hospital’s 60th anniversary, as it demonstrates Gleneagles Hospital’s commitment to always put its patients’ well-being at the forefront of all it does.

   
   

   CLOSING

8. In closing, allow me to congratulate Gleneagles Hospital and thank you for your contributions to Singapore healthcare over the last six decades. I look forward to your continued contributions, and wish everyone from Gleneagles Hospital, an enjoyable 60^th anniversary celebration.

Thank you.