OYK took part in a panel discussion.
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The
OECD Health High Level Policy Forum and Ministerial Meeting was held after a seven year break, and Singapore was invited to attend this time.
As Education Minister from 2015 to 2020, I have found OECD’s inputs very useful in shaping our education policy. They are data and evidence-based, with a strong emphasis on benchmarking against best practices around the world.
I took part in a panel discussion on genomics and genetic medicine, which was far more lively than I had expected. Suffice to say many countries recognise that these are exciting times for the healthcare sector. Done right, the potential to harness the rapid advancements in cell, tissue and gene therapy and AI for preventive care is immense. Done wrong, it widens disparity and undermines sustainability of the public healthcare system.
At the Health Ministerial Meeting, I called for stronger international collaboration to build global infrastructure to better support surveillance of emerging pathogens, and vaccine development.
I also met many of my counterparts, such as from the US, Costa Rica, Estonia, Iceland and Saudi Arabia. Estonia explained to me how their impressive electronic health system works. With Costa Rica, we had a delightful exchange of views on Blue Zones.
On my way back to Singapore now. Good bye croissants and hello kaya toast.