Speech by Minister of State for Health, Dr Amy Khor, at Go Red for Women Symposium 2013, 4 May 2013

Associate Professor Terrance Chua, Chairman, Singapore Heart Foundation,

Dr Goh Ping Ping, Go Red for Women Chairman and Spokesperson,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Friends.

A very good morning to one and all.

1.         It is indeed my privilege to be here with you this morning for Singapore Heart Foundation’s (SHF) Go Red for Women symposium. In fact, I was talking to Dr Goh Ping Ping earlier and I have been involved in this programme in one way or another since 2006, for about eight years. I must say that Singapore Heart Foundation has done a wonderful job in promoting heart health among women. So I think we should give them a big round of applause.

2.         Many often think of heart disease as a “man’s disease”, but this is really not true. In 2011, 29.6% of deaths in Singaporean women were due to cardiovascular diseases, as compared to 31.7% for men. Indeed, heart disease and stroke cause 1 out of 3 deaths in both women and men. When it comes to symptoms in women, they are not what you normally see in Hollywood or Bollywood films, where one clutches at the chest in pain. So everybody associates heart attacks with that. Instead, symptoms of heart disease in women can sometimes present themselves in unexpected ways and we really need to watch out for these symptoms. For example, women may experience indigestion-like pain (so it is not clutching at the heart), a feeling of heaviness or pressure-like chest pain between the breasts or beneath the breastbone, or discomfort or pain between the shoulder blades, at the neck, jaw or stomach. So if you have symptoms like these, the best thing to do is to go and see the doctor.

3.         The World Health Organization predicts that by the year 2030, almost 25 million people will die from cardiovascular disease, mainly from heart disease and stroke. Although the numbers seem bleak, heart disease is mostly preventable, as there are risk factors that are actually within our control. You can adopt a healthier lifestyle by not smoking, by eating healthily, exercising regularly, managing your stress level, as well as watching your blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels. In this regard, I must say that I see that the Northwest Brisk Walking Club members are here today. Walking regularly is a good example on how to take care of your health and exercise regularly.

4.         We often hear, “But I love my food too much!” and in Singaporeans, this is very true. We all love our food, including myself. For example, we can’t go without ‘mee pok tah’ and ‘char kway teow’. Today, you will be happy to hear that we are not suggesting that you completely stop eating the food you love. Instead, why not reduce the portion size of the less healthy food and increase the portion size of the more healthy food. Try swapping foods. For instance, have an apple instead of chocolate. Diets high in saturated and trans fat, sugar and salt increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. So, try to take less salt, sugar and fat. A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables however, helps prevent heart disease. You should try to eat more fruits and vegetables and foods that are high in fibre.

5.         I am heartened to see the Foundation’s efforts in reaching out to more people to tell them about heart disease and let me highlight some of the Foundation’s efforts. The recent series of Go Red for Women TV commercials are entertaining yet educational at the same time and they are available in English, Malay and Mandarin. These commercials have appeal to a wide audience. In addition, SHF has developed a free mobile application called ‘Heart4Life’, which you can put on your iPhones and Android phones. ‘Heart4Life’ features an overview of how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (or CPR) which can help to save a life in an emergency. There is also a quiz that you can take, which assesses your ten-year risk for Coronary Heart Disease. To do so, all you need to know is your total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and systolic BP. If you are unaware of these numbers, please visit your GP for a health check. In addition, the Health Promotion Board also conducts roadshows at community locations which include screening for chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity, all of which can lead to heart disease and stroke. Therefore, I want to encourage you to take the opportunity if you have not done so, to go for the subsidised screenings that are offered.

6.         Women are often seen as custodians of their households, because they oversee the health of their family by making food choices - we go marketing to get groceries and so on - and also, for instilling healthy habits in family members. However, it is important that we recognise and remember that women too, need to take care of their own health, even as they care for their loved ones’ health. I think women have to often take on multiple roles, and multitask. And very often, they remember to encourage their children and their husbands to have a healthy diet, encourage them to eat healthy food, but neglect themselves because of their busyness. It is important to remember to take care of our health too, otherwise you won’t be able to take care of your family. It is with this in mind, that the Foundation organises events such as talks on nutrition, cooking workshops and supermarket tours. As chairperson of the Women’s Health Advisory Committee or WHAC, I have also made it my goal to empower Singaporean women to make healthier choices in life - to lead an active lifestyle, eat healthy meals, go for health screening regularly and of course, be heart healthy. I think you cannot over-empasise this, we really have to constantly remind everybody to do so. For those amongst us who are keen to help other women achieve a healthy lifestyle, do sign up as HPB’s Women Health Ambassadors. HPB will provide training on women’s health related issues for all our Women Health Ambassadors and create opportunities for you to spread the health messages to your families and friends. Let us join forces and do our part to positively influence the lives of our loved ones. SHF has done a great job in promoting this.

7.         Today’s symposium is a great opportunity for all of us to gain valuable insight into how to detect and prevent heart disease in women. I understand there will also be a Question & Answer session at the end, where a panel of experts will address any queries or doubts that you have, so please also do not forget to make full use of the complimentary health screening.

8.         We hope that you will be empowered with the right tools and knowledge to take control of your heart health. As we take on many roles in our daily lives, let us celebrate the energy and passion we have as women but don’t forget to take care of your own health.

9.         With this, have a wonderful day ahead! Thank you very much.