Speech by Minister Of State, Dr Amy Khor at HPB’s Health Ambassador Graduation Ceremony

Good morning, Hak Seng and my fellow Health Ambassadors.

2.    In February this year, I was appointed as Chief Health Ambassador, a title that I felt honoured and at the same time humbled to accept, as I was not sure if I could live up to expectations. But unwilling to disappoint anyone, I have since done all that I can to encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyles particularly at my constituency, Hong Kah North, and at the South West District of which I am Mayor.

For instance, I have encouraged my Hong Kah North Grassroots as well as my SW CDC Councillors to organise health screening events, healthy lifestyle activities like brisk walking, healthy cooking demonstrations and talks on chronic disease management for residents.

I myself have done some healthy cooking demonstrations for residents at my constituency. Also, I frequently encourage others around me to go for regular health screenings, to choose healthier meals such as those with less salt and less fried foods (there are healthier hawker centres, such as in Yuhua), and to consume more water and less sugary drinks.

3.    I am delighted to join all of you here this morning for the Health Ambassador Graduation Ceremony. My heartiest congratulations to all 700 graduating Health Ambassadors.

I am sure all of you are proud to be a part of this milestone event. Each of you are now part of the 4,000 Health Ambassadors who will make a difference to the lives of our fellow Singaporeans, as you will help champion healthy lifestyles and enable Singaporeans to live long and live well.

Corporate Health Ambassador Programme

4.    Singaporeans are a very busy people. Therefore, I am glad to see that HPB has started a Corporate Health Ambassador Programme since September 2012, to spread this healthy living movement to various organisations.

The three main aims are:

(i)                 To enhance employees’ health;

(ii)              To encourage them to practise Corporate Social Responsibility in helping other Singapore residents to adopt a healthier lifestyle; and

(iii)            To create a multiplier effect for HPB’s recruitment efforts of health ambassadors.

5.    I am glad that there are two early adopters -- there are two employers with us today that have encouraged their staff to join as Health Ambassadors. Our first two Corporate Health Ambassadors are Merck Sharpe & Dohme (MSD) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF).

6.    Aside from promoting health in the workplace, these ambassadors are health ambassadors with a special touch. Through their networks, MSD allows HPB to tap a large number of professionals familiar with pharmaceutics to help the less-literate elderly to adhere to their medication schedules.

This will help the elderly better understand their medication regime. As we know, better compliance to medication for chronic diseases leads to better control, and less complications in the long run.

7.    SPF also helps by encouraging a huge number of reservists to join as Health Ambassadors. As we all know, SPF has a large network all over Singapore. This encouragement would, in turn, help to create more touch-points for promoting healthy living among Singaporeans. Furthermore, it is a natural fit that the Home Team helps promote a healthy population. The Corporate Health Ambassadors Programme should facilitate greater outreach and a multiplier effect for our recruitment efforts of health ambassadors.

MOU with Nanyang Polytechnic

8.    Today also marks another new milestone in our long journey to better health for our nation. Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and HPB will be formalising a Memorandum of Understanding on the development and implementation of health promotion initiatives.

Another key part of this partnership is also the joint development of a General Studies Module (GSM) in Health Promotion accessible by all NYP students. The GSM is especially relevant and meaningful to students in health-related disciplines such as nursing, pharmacy, allied health and life sciences.

An accelerated module will allow up to 3,000 students in health related fields to learn health promotion skills and encourage them to become Health Ambassadors. Indeed, I would like to urge all 15,000 students of NYP, not just those in the health related fields, to join HPB’s Health Ambassador Network.

HPB will also continue to work with other institutions to bring health promotion and health literacy education to an even bigger pool of students and potential Health Ambassadors. Besides this, the MOU also ensures that NYP students will be provided with internship and project collaboration opportunities with HPB.

9.    This is part of HPB’s effort to increase the number of youth leaders and health advocates in the schools. HPB has also introduced in September 2012, the Health Promoting Clubs in secondary schools to groom passionate youth health ambassadors who will champion healthy lifestyles among their schoolmates and social networks. With these efforts in place, HPB is working towards the goal of 10,000 Health Ambassadors by 2015 and 100,000 Health Ambassadors by 2020.

10.  It has been said, with good justification, that “health is wealth.” But the reverse is not necessarily true. So let us work towards promoting a Healthier Singapore and keeping the Health Ambassador motto close to our hearts: Staying Healthy, Inspiring Others!  By staying healthy ourselves, we can continue to inspire the people around us.

As HPB enhances its support for our health ambassadors through more training opportunities and other resources, you will be even more well placed and equipped to be effective health advocates.

11.  Once again, I would like to congratulate the graduating Health Ambassadors as they embark on their journey to spread the healthy message in the community. Thank you!