Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health, at the Launch of the War on Diabetes Public Engagement Exercise, 24 September 2016

Parliamentary colleagues Minister Ng Chee Meng and Speaker of Parliament Madam Halimah Yacob,

Senior Minister of State for Health Dr Amy Khor,

Friends, Residents,

Healthcare and education professional colleagues,

INTRODUCTION

1.            Good morning to all of you. Thank you for joining me here today.

2.            Diabetes is a very serious challenge for Singapore. One in three Singaporeans has a lifetime risk of developing diabetes. Diabetes can lead to serious complications too, such as stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and lower limb amputations. Such complications not only reduce the quality of life for the individual, they also increase the overall burden on his family, and on society as a whole.

3.            Today, there are about 400,000 Singaporeans with diabetes. We have also observed a trend of younger Singaporeans getting diabetes, due to unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. By 2050, if we do not do anything, about one million Singaporeans will have diabetes if nothing is done. So obviously, we must do something. Therefore, there is an urgent need for us to tackle the challenge of diabetes.

FORMATION OF DIABETES PREVENTION & CARE TASKFORCE & STRATEGY

4.            In April this year, I declared War on Diabetes. I am happy to see that many organisations and constituencies have introduced initiatives in support of our efforts to tackle diabetes. For example, Siglap has formed a Siglap Diabetes Warriors (SDW) Taskforce to raise awareness of diabetes, with volunteers and nursing students reaching out to residents to encourage them to lead healthier lifestyles. Just last Sunday, around 400 residents of Changi Simei attended Women’s Wellness Day, an event organised by grassroots organisations in East Coast GRC and Fengshan SMC, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, as well as the People’s Association. Participants learnt about gestational diabetes and the important role women play in tackling diabetes. I look forward to seeing more of such efforts.

5.            At the national level, we have formed a national Diabetes Prevention and Care Taskforce, co-chaired by Acting Minister for Education (Schools) Mr Ng Chee Meng, and myself. The Taskforce comprises stakeholders from diverse sectors, including the healthcare sector, government, academia, unions, voluntary welfare organisations, and the media. We held our first meeting in June this year and initiated the various workstreams.

6.            Our vision is to create a supportive environment for people in Singapore to lead lives free from diabetes, and for those with diabetes to manage their condition well. We can achieve this through five key thrusts.

7.            The first is prevention. Moving upstream to keep the population healthy is key to reducing the number of new diabetes cases. We are doing this through a twin exercise-and-food strategy. We aim to improve dietary quality, discourage overeating and encourage active lifestyles in the population.

8.            Another thrust we will focus on is early detection and intervention, which is essential in delaying or reversing the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes. We hope to encourage regular screening and active follow-up.

9.            The third thrust is the management of diabetes. We want to enable those with diabetes to continue to lead fulfilling lives and reduce the risk of further complications. Family doctors will play a very important role in this, by partnering patients and helping them to manage their conditions well.

10.         Next, educating the public to raise awareness of the risks and implications of diabetes, is the first step towards empowering every one of us to start tackling diabetes. Last but not least, we will also be engaging key stakeholders to understand their concerns and mobilise their support.

LAUNCH OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EXERCISE

11.         We need everyone to join the fight against diabetes. To gather views from the public as to how we can do this better, my Ministry and the Health Promotion Board (HPB), together with all our stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, will launch a six-month public consultation and engagement exercise from the end of September till February next year. We invite you to share your views with us on how we can combat diabetes in Singapore.

12.         We will crowd-source for innovative suggestions on motivating Singaporeans to eat healthily, adopt an active lifestyle and go for health screenings regularly. Besides direct engagements, we will also solicit views online.

13.         We value the unique insights of those with diabetes and their caregivers too, to better understand their challenges, and work with them to provide a more supportive environment to enable them to better cope with diabetes.

14.         Therefore, I call upon all Singaporeans to join in the fight against diabetes. Pledge your support for the War on Diabetes, because it cannot be fought by government agencies alone and our partners, but by the effort of every Singaporean.

CONCLUSION

15.         Each and every one of us has a responsibility and role to play in this effort. Together, we can beat diabetes!

16.         Thank you.