Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health, at the Healthcare Scholarships Award Ceremony, 30 July 2018

Colleagues

Distinguished Guests 

Award Recipients

Ladies and Gentlemen

1.    A very good afternoon to everyone seated here today. It gives me great pleasure to join you at the 2018 Healthcare Scholarships Award Ceremony.

2.    First, allow me to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the 189 scholarship recipients this year. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the principals and teachers, parents and your loved ones, who are here with us today. You have been instrumental in guiding and supporting our scholars’ passion and aspirations, and have inspired them to pursue their careers as healthcare professionals.

3.    With an ageing population and rising burden of chronic diseases, healthcare demand is growing. In the years ahead, there will be a lot of challenges and also meaningful work to be done in the healthcare sector, particularly in the community care setting. To meet our future healthcare needs, we will have to transform the healthcare system, change the way we look at healthcare and how we deliver healthcare services.

THE THREE BEYONDS

4.    In some of my earlier speeches, I mentioned about three key shifts we need to make to ensure our healthcare system remains well prepared for the future. Allow me to briefly recap them.

5.    The first and most fundamental shift is to shift Beyond Healthcare to Health. Instead of focusing only on improving healthcare, we should move upstream and help Singaporeans to take active steps to lead healthy lives, and stay healthy in the years to come.

6.    Second, we must shift Beyond Quality to Value. While quality of healthcare remains important, we need to be good stewards of our resources and focus on healthcare services that are cost effective. This will help to keep our healthcare system affordable and sustainable for future generations.

7.    The third is to shift Beyond Hospital to the Community. We must expand our horizons beyond the hospital, and strengthen our services in primary care and rehabilitative care in the community. We expect more Singaporeans will benefit from community healthcare services. This is in line with our objective of helping our seniors to age gracefully in familiar surroundings of a supportive community.

2018 HEALTHCARE SCHOLARS

8.    I am sure each of you have an inspiring story to tell about why you have decided to take up the healthcare career. Let me share some stories of our 2018 healthcare scholars seated here today.

9.    We launched the Community Nursing Scholarship last year to recognise the vital role nurses play in strengthening care services in the community, in line with our plan to shift care beyond the Hospital to the Community. One of the recipients is Ms Danielle Lai. While in secondary school, Danielle found much meaning and fulfilment in her CCA in Saint John’s Brigade, and through her volunteer work in an elderly home. During a nursing attachment at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, she witnessed the patience, compassion and empathy the nurses showed when taking care of elderly patients. Her mother, who works in a Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO) and her sister, who founded a social enterprise, inspired Danielle to want to serve the community too, especially among elderly patients. Danielle decided to pursue nursing at Nanyang Polytechnic under the Community Nursing Scholarship.

10.    Mr Muhamed Suhaimi Bin Nasarudin, also a nursing scholar, was awarded the Healthcare Merit Award. He was inspired by his mother who is a nurse, as well as his younger brother who is also studying nursing in ITE, to pursue a career that can help others and make a tangible difference in their lives.

11.    Besides nursing, we have also awarded scholarships for a range of healthcare professions. One example is Ms Keran Wei, who is receiving a Healthcare Merit Award to pursue Podiatry studies overseas. At a young age, Keran personally experienced the care and concern showed by podiatrists towards her and her family members. Beyond treating their foot issues, Keran was extremely touched by the close interaction and empathy shown by the podiatrists, which made her realise her passion to pursue a career in the healthcare sector.

12.    Another recipient is Ms Chew Khee Gek, who will be pursuing diagnostic radiography at the Singapore Institute of Technology under the Healthcare Merit Award. Despite a challenging childhood and difficult family circumstances, Khee Gek overcame adversity and graduated with a diploma in biomedical science from Temasek Polytechnic with flying colours. Her interest in diagnostic radiography was first kindled during an encounter with a diagnostic radiographer while undergoing an MRI scan in a public healthcare institution. She also learnt more about the profession through the parents of a close friend, who are both radiographers. Her current stint as a diagnostic ophthalmic technician at the National University Hospital cemented her passion and resolve to pursue a career in diagnostic radiography.

13.    We wish Danielle, Suhaimi, Keran, Khee Gek, and all of the scholarship recipients all the best in your studies and future careers.

BE AN INSPIRATION TO OTHERS

14.    The healthcare system is constantly expanding and evolving. Talented and passionate healthcare professionals and leaders are needed to help improve and transform the healthcare system.

15.    As healthcare scholars, you play an important role in shaping the future of Singapore’s healthcare system. Your journey has just begun – as a healthcare professional, you need to be equipped with both the hard and soft skills to serve your patients and community effectively. Your education will equip you with the necessary “hardware”, or the skills and competencies needed for your profession, but you can only serve effectively with the right “heartware”: patience, empathy, and compassion for the patients and their caregivers. I hope that all of you will serve as a model and inspiration to your fellow colleagues and the community when you graduate from your studies and become a healthcare professional.

CONCLUSION

16.    The road ahead as a healthcare professional in the public healthcare family will be an exciting one, filled with challenges and opportunities alike. We will continue to support, partner and guide you through this journey, and I hope that you will also help and support one another across disciplines and care settings.

17.    Once again, I offer my warmest congratulations to our new scholarship recipients in 2018. I wish you all the best in your studies, and I look forward to your return from your studies and welcoming you into our public healthcare family, to give Singaporeans better health, better care, and a better life.

Thank you.