Serious Many Pappys don't like OngYK..not Team player.

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Healthier SG has more than 870,000 participants, 77,000 of whom are Malay/Muslims: Ong Ye Kung​

Residents at the Health Promotion Board booth during the Woodlands Town Hari Raya Open House and Gema Syawal 2024 in Kampung Admiralty. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Zaihan Mohamed Yusof
Senior Crime Correspondent
UPDATED

MAY 04, 2024, 08:50 PM

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SINGAPORE – As the rain pounded parts of Woodlands on May 4, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung told his audience in Malay to “ready yourself with an umbrella before it rains”.
He was speaking to around 2,000 residents of Sembawang GRC attending the Woodlands Town Hari Raya Open House and Gema Syawal 2024 in Kampung Admiralty.
The event was held to raise awareness of preventive care and encourage more people to enrol in Healthier SG, a national initiative by the Ministry of Health (MOH) focusing on preventive health.

On the sidelines, Mr Ong told reporters that Healthier SG to date has more than 870,000 enrollees, of whom 77,000 are Malay/Muslim residents.
Mr Ong said: “Overall, nationally, we have about 37 per cent of the population 40 years and above already enrolled in Healthier SG. For the Malay/Muslim community, it’s about 30 per cent. So (it’s) slightly below the national average, but... a healthy number.”
To encourage more Malays to sign up with Healthier SG, MOH will work with Malay/Muslim organisations such as M3, a tie-up between Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council.

Similar events are expected to be held in mosques, featuring Healthier SG booths and health ambassadors encouraging Malay/Muslims to join the initiative, which was launched on July 5, 2023.

Mr Ong told The Straits Times: “If we persuade enough (people), then... people will start to talk about it... People do talk about health, people do talk about the need for preventive care.
“(Healthier SG) is a concept I think everyone can accept. Why wait until you’re sick, and then you suffer, not just you suffer but your family suffers.”
The programme seeks to get Singaporeans to take proactive steps to manage their health, prevent the onset of chronic diseases and have strong support to lead healthier lifestyles.

At May 4’s event, attendees enjoyed Hari Raya dishes such as rendang, sambal goreng, sayur lodeh and ayam masak merah.
They were entertained by dances, a silat martial arts display and even Sembawang GRC MPs – Mr Ong, Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Mr Vikram Nair, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Ms Poh Li San – trying their hand at tying the samping, a traditional Malay costume.

Attendees enjoyed Hari Raya dishes such as rendang, sambal goreng, sayur lodeh and ayam masak merah. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Away from the stage and food offerings, visitors stopped at booths set up by various organisations.
At the Health Promotion Board booth, an information board on the Healthy 365 mobile app explained how a person’s sleep cycle could be monitored with a tracker compatible with the app. The booth also had reminders for visitors to get their health screenings done.
The booth by Kelab Kesihatan Woodlands, or Woodlands Health Club, promoted activities such as Zumba, trekking, cycling and piloxing.
Madam Siti Maimun, 62, who was at the event though she is not a Sembawang resident, said in Malay: “I’m open to healthy and simple activities because I can see from the photos of the activities that seniors also take part in them. My children have been nagging me to keep fit.”
Many who visited the booths picked up health brochures and free exercise bands as they left.

For Mr Kumarasamy Supaya, 52, and his wife, Madam Poongodi Rajamanikam, 49, visiting the Healthier SG booth was a priority.
The engineer, who had signed up with Healthier SG previously, was there to accompany Madam Poongodi as she enrolled in the programme.
He said: “My mother has diabetes and my father has a history of high blood pressure. I have moderate hypertension, and I’m concerned that if I do not monitor my health, I will fall sick without knowing it.”
Housewife Ann Toh, 44, said she was signing up with Healthier SG to encourage her two sons to stay healthy.
“I use a tracker so that I know how many calories I burn when exercising,” said Madam Toh. “I hope my two teenage sons will follow my attempt at staying fit.”
Residents can use the HealthHub app to enrol in Healthier SG, choose their preferred Healthier SG clinic and book an appointment for their free first Health Plan consultation.

 

[jw5]

OYK did his first #HealthierSG consultation recently.

Ong Ye Kung​

2 d ·
Did my first #HealthierSG consultation recently. If you haven't done so, make sure to do it soon!

 

[jw5]

OYK joined some 250 residents from all over Singapore to train up and prepare for Haj.

Ong Ye Kung​

1 d ·
Joined some 250 residents from all over Singapore to train up and prepare for Haj. Many thanks for choosing Sembawang!

 

[jw5]

OYK congratulates many people................................ but not Lawrence.

Ong Ye Kung​

1 d ·
Many congratulations are in order today.
My best wishes to Mr Murali Pillai and Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong 黄伟中 for your appointments as MOS and SPS respectively. Glad to see another old Aljunied GRC colleague join the front bench in Parliament.
Way to go to Ms Rahayu Mahzam, who will be promoted to MOS. She has been making good contributions at MOH, helping me look into healthcare financing matters and handling many Parliamentary matters.
Congratulations to Ms Low Yen Ling, who will be promoted to SMS. Will always be grateful to her for spearheading the implementation of CDC vouchers. She was indefatigable in setting up Big Heart for CDAC and the self-help groups.
Happy that Mr Desmond Tan 陈国明 is promoted to SMS. Have always been impressed with the way he engaged at PA, and now at NTUC. Will challenge him to more sports activities in due course.
Heartiest congratulations to Mr Gan Kim Yong, who will be DPM. I got to work closely with him during COVID-19 on the MTF. He is always accessible, and always ready to give good advice. Very grateful for the foundation he has laid at MOH after serving ten years as Minister for Health, without which we would not be able to embark on the healthcare transformation journey.

 

[jw5]

OYK is honoured to work with everyone.

Ong Ye Kung​

2 d ·
Every year, the Ministry of Health, Singapore family comes together for the Workplan Seminar. This is typically a closed door event for us to reflect on our achievements, align on the priorities ahead and cast our vision for the future.
In gist, I shared our agenda ahead, across all healthcare settings, with a particular focus on population health and preventive care.
This includes transforming the primary care sector, guiding healthier eating, going upstream to shape good health habits amongst young children, and embracing precision medicine to build up the health of our nation.
Our mission is not about adding years to life, but life to those years.
Honoured to work with everyone in healthcare. Our journey continues.

 

[jw5]

OYK is honoured to work with LW.

Ong Ye Kung​

2 d ·
Today, we will witness only the third leadership handover in our nation’s history, as DPM Lawrence Wong takes over as PM.
This is the uniqueness of Singapore politics, where there is stability of the political system, consistency in public policy, and resolve in upholding fundamentals and values.
This is a system that best serves Singapore and Singaporeans, and enables the nation to evolve and adapt with the times. It is unique perhaps because it is possible here, underpinned by the realities of being small, urban, compact, multiracial, with a strong sense of unity and common destiny amongst our people.
Each generation of leaders has a duty to do our best to ensure that this legacy continues. It is the ultimate success factor for Singapore.
DPM Wong and I have been friends and colleagues for over 20 years, both serving as PPSs at some points in our careers, and having gone through some very tough times together during the Covid-19 crisis. It is a heavy responsibility that he has taken up which deserves our full support, in serving and continuing the uniqueness of the Singapore story.
Congratulations to DPM Wong on assuming the leadership of our country.

 

[jw5]

OYK thanks everyone.

Ong Ye Kung​

2 d ·
The redevelopment of Alexandra Hospital (AH) officially started with a groundbreaking ceremony.
Originally built by the British in 1938, it was seized by the Japanese during WWII, reverted to British control after the war, before becoming a public hospital.
Once redevelopment completes, around 2028, it will have about 1,300 hospital beds and about 400 nursing home beds.
It will have a unique care model, where resources will pivot from acute hospital care to community hospital care, without the patient needing to be transferred.
Besides AH, we are planning a redevelopment of the entire National University Hospital - NUH campus, which is scheduled to commence in 2025. Like musical chairs, old structures will be torn down and rebuilt progressively, while operation of the hospital continues. The whole process will take well over the decade.
I would like to thank everyone for the hard work in planning and executing this redevelopment project!

 

[jw5]

OYK thanks the staff and management team.

Ong Ye Kung​

1 d ·
Glad to be back at Woodlands Health Campus today. From my last visit here five months ago, activities have picked up significantly.
From just 40 beds in December, almost 400 beds are now in operation. Operating theatre teams have performed surgeries on 50 patients. The laboratories are busy. Food outlets are opened.
Very importantly, the Emergency Department is operational, and have started to accept walk-in patients. But please remember, visit the Emergency Departments only when necessary. Otherwise, you can visit your GP, or if you live in the North, the Urgent Care Centre at Kampung Admiralty.
Many thanks to the staff and management team for their hard work to get this new hospital up and running.
Looking forward to the official opening later this year.

 

[jw5]

OYK pays tribute to family doctors.

Ong Ye Kung​

10 h ·
Today is World Family Doctor Day.
In movies and drama series, it is always the emergency doctors or surgeons who are the heroes of the show. Indeed they perform very critical work in healthcare.
But the group that is often overlooked are the family doctors. They are the first line of healthcare, watching over the health of the population, preventing the healthy from falling sick and the sick from becoming worse.
It is befitting that their important work is increasingly recognised, as the population ages and preventive care moves to the centre stage of healthcare.
Photos by Healthway Medical Group, Raffles Medical Group, SingHealth Polyclinics

 

[jw5]

OYK runs around Sembawang.

Ong Ye Kung​

1 d ·
老朋友趴趴走 at Sembawang!

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Singapore facing new Covid-19 wave; vaccination recommended especially for seniors: Ong Ye Kung​

To protect bed capacity, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases. PHOTO: ST FILE

Chin Soo Fang
Senior Correspondent
UPDATED

MAY 18, 2024, 08:39 PM

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SINGAPORE – Singapore is seeing a new Covid-19 wave, with rising cases of infection in the last two weeks, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on May 18.
“We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising,” said Mr Ong. “So I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end of June.”
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that to protect hospital bed capacity and as a precaution, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and move suitable patients to facilities like transitional care facilities or back home through Mobile Inpatient Care@Home.

Mr Ong urged those who are at greatest risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, to receive an additional dose of the Covid-19 vaccine if they have not done so in the last 12 months.
MOH said the estimated number of Covid-19 cases in the week of May 5 to May 11 rose to 25,900 cases, compared with 13,700 cases in the previous week. The average daily Covid-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before. The average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared with two cases in the previous week.
Mr Ong said that if the number of Covid-19 cases doubles one time, Singapore will have 500 patients in its healthcare system, which is what Singapore can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles a second time, there will be 1,000 patients, and “that will be a considerable burden on the hospital system”, he noted.

“One thousand beds is equivalent to one regional hospital,” Mr Ong said. “So I think the healthcare system has to brace ourselves for what is to come.”

There are no plans for any form of social restrictions or any other mandatory type of measures for now, as Covid-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, he said, adding that imposing additional measures would be a last resort.
Mr Ong said that with Singapore being a transport and communications hub, it will be one of the cities to get a wave of Covid-19 earlier than others.
“So Covid-19 is just something that we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves,” he said.

Mr Ong was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Community in Review 2024 Conference – Thriving with Age: Building a World of Active Ageing at the Furama Riverfront.
Globally, the predominant Covid-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore.
As at May 3, the World Health Organisation has classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring. There are currently no indications, globally or locally, that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, MOH said.

However, members of the public are urged to stay updated with vaccination to protect themselves against current and emerging virus strains. MOH said that to date, about 80 per cent of the local population have completed their initial or additional dose, but have not received a dose within the last year.
The ministry added that since Covid-19 vaccination started in 2020 to 2021, the vaccines have consistently been proven to be safe and effective in protecting individuals from severe illness. Billions of doses have been administered globally, and safety monitoring internationally has shown that the vaccine is safe, it said.
There have also been no long-term safety concerns with Covid-19 vaccination, and adverse effects from vaccines, including the mRNA vaccines, have all been observed to occur shortly after vaccination, the ministry added.
Based on local data, keeping updated with vaccination – which is receiving an additional dose within the last year – has continued to be a key effective measure in preventing severe Covid-19 illness requiring hospitalisation or ICU admission, MOH said.
During the peak month of the JN.1 wave in December 2023, the incidence rate of Covid-19 hospitalisations and ICU admissions among seniors aged 60 years and above was 25 per cent higher in those who had not kept their vaccination updated compared with those who had, it added.
The updated Covid-19 vaccines continue to be free for all eligible residents. Those enrolled in Healthier SG can now receive their vaccination at about 250 participating Healthier SG clinics islandwide.
Over the next few months, MOH will progressively expand the network of Healthier SG clinics offering Covid-19 vaccination to ensure its ready accessibility to the community. The public is advised to book their Covid-19 vaccination appointments via the Health Appointment System at https://book.health.gov.sg/covid or call the clinics directly before making their way there.

To extend its reach into the heartland, particularly for seniors, MOH will deploy additional mobile vaccination teams to selected heartland locations in the coming weeks. The deployment location and schedule are found on https://www.vaccine.gov.sg/locations/mvt
From May 21 to June 29, the five joint testing and vaccination centres (JTVCs) will extend their operating hours on Saturdays and eve of Public Holidays from 9am to 7pm, instead of the usual opening hours from 9am to 1pm. Selected polyclinics will continue to offer vaccination. Appointments for these polyclinics can be made via HealthHub.
MOH will be sending out SMSes to individuals who have not taken any Covid-19 vaccination in the past 12 months, to remind them to keep their vaccination up to date. They can go to https://gowhere.gov.sg/vaccine for the nearest vaccination site and the types of vaccines offered at each site.
The public is also urged to exercise personal and social responsibility, including maintaining good personal hygiene, reducing social interactions when feeling unwell, and wearing masks if medically vulnerable, in crowded areas, or when symptomatic.
With the June holiday season approaching, those travelling overseas are reminded to be vigilant and to adopt relevant travel precautions. MOH’s health advisory for travellers is available at www.moh.gov.sg/diseases-updates/travel-advisory
The public is also urged to reserve medical treatment at a hospital’s Emergency Department for serious or life-threatening emergencies, particularly if their symptoms are mild or if they have no medical vulnerabilities. This will preserve hospital capacity for patients who need acute hospital care and allow those with severe illness to receive timely treatment.

 

[jw5]

OYK wishes Happy Vesak Day to all his friends.

Ong Ye Kung​

8 h ·
Happy Vesak Day to all my friends. May we all have kindness in our hearts, and peace in our minds.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

Nearly 890,000 sign-ups so far for Healthier SG, more Malay participation needed: Ong Ye Kung​

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung speaking at a dialogue on May 18 at the Furama RiverFront. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Chin Soo Fang
Senior Correspondent
UPDATED

MAY 18, 2024, 08:36 PM

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SINGAPORE – Healthier SG has been a success since the preventive care initiative was launched in July 2023, with close to 890,000 participants to date, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung as he encouraged greater involvement by the Malay community.
Nationwide, about 37 per cent of the population aged 40 years and above is enrolled in the initiative, which is aimed at getting family doctors to help individuals take charge of their health.
Within the Malay community, 30 per cent of the eligible population has enrolled, which is lower than the national average.

Mr Ong’s call for more participation by the Malay community came during a dialogue on May 18, at a conference on what ageing looks like for the Muslim community here.
The Community in Review 2024 Conference – Thriving with Age: Building a World of Active Ageing was organised by non-profit organisation AMP Singapore and its research subsidiary, the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs. The event, held at the Furama RiverFront hotel, focused on issues such as challenges in providing culturally and religiously sensitive care for seniors while considering national-level implications.
About 140 people attended the free event, including community leaders, medical and social service practitioners, and academics who focus on seniors and health.

In his speech, Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, chief executive of the Agency for Integrated Care, said the lower participation rate in Healthier SG among Malays is despite the community having a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia than the national average.

For example, the prevalence of diabetes in the Malay population is 12.9 per cent, higher than the national average of 8.5 per cent.
Mr Dinesh noted that there is also lower attendance by Malay/Muslim seniors at active ageing centres (AACs), where seniors can take part in a wide range of activities to enhance their physical, mental and social well-being.
He urged AMP and other Malay/Muslim organisations to play a part in increasing Malay participation in national programmes. For example, they could consider collaborating with mosques to organise dialogues. They can also suggest healthier food choices that use less sugar and salt to delay the onset of chronic diseases, and encourage more seniors to join AAC activities.
During the dialogue, Mr Ong said that besides an ageing population, Singapore also faces a challenge from the Covid-19 pandemic – which has resulted in delayed infrastructure development – though it is now catching up with the building and opening of new hospitals like Woodlands Health.
The pandemic also took a toll on the health of many seniors, regardless of whether they had Covid-19. This was probably due to the lack of medical follow-up for chronic illnesses or issues such as loneliness during the pandemic, he said.
The Ministry of Health has recruited more nurses over the past year to replenish and expand its workforce and beef up facilities like nursing homes, among other measures to better meet the growing need for nursing skills and care facilities.
Mr Ong said he hopes to continue with the ministry as the work it is doing is “quite unprecedented”. It is undertaking major changes and looking into new areas, including medical advancements.
He hopes to work with the healthcare team to transform the health system. “So healthcare is going through a revolution, and I think we need to have a good team to see this through.”

 

[jw5]

OYK shared some tips.

Ong Ye Kung​

8h ·
At Temasek Polytechnic's graduation ceremony recently, I shared some tips for our youths of today. I hope you find them useful.

 

[jw5]

OYK was in Geneva Switzerland.

Ong Ye Kung​

4h ·
Was in Geneva, Switzerland for the 77th World Health Assembly. This is my third attendance.
At the meeting, I announced Singapore’s contribution of S$24 million to World Health Organization (WHO)’s inaugural 2025/28 Investment Round. This is the first time WHO has made a targeted, forward-looking call to secure predictable and sustainable funding.
Singapore is the first in Asia and one of the first WHO member states to announce our pledge. Our contribution will go towards helping developing countries to build capacities to prepare and respond to health emergencies.
During my Plenary address at the WHA, I once again called for the global community to come together to coordinate our actions and responses to address global health challenges. There is much we can do together, from scientists collaborating to develop vaccines for the next pandemic, to strengthening surveillance against possible deadly pathogens.
On the whole it was a fruitful trip. I met my ministerial counterparts from Australia, Colombia, Cuba, Kiribati, Lithuania, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia. Made many more friends, and participated in many more panel discussions.

 

[jw5]

Ong Ye Kung​

29 May at 23:46 ·

Caught up with Malaysia’s Minister of Health, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

 

[jw5]

OYK posts a long post.

Ong Ye Kung​

9h ·
Warning: long post!
The annual World Health Assembly (WHA) held at Geneva has officially ended. This year it has been special because of two major outcomes.
First, after over two years of negotiations, Member States did not manage to conclude a Pandemic Agreement. Second, they succeeded in enhancing and updating the International Health Regulations, or IHR.
What are these agreements, and how do they affect Singapore? Significantly. Let me explain.
First, the Pandemic Agreement. The idea was mooted by certain Government leaders, from both developing and developed countries, in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis.
It was felt that the crisis was a great opportunity to establish an international agreement that would pull countries together to co-operate, coordinate our actions, and better respond to the next Pandemic, which was a matter of when and not if.
Many issues arose during the negotiations, which led to the current impasse. But I think the core contributory factor was the lack of trust, particularly between developing countries (the Global South) and developed countries (the Global North).
At the height of the pandemic, the South was in great need of vaccines and other medical supplies, but the North had ordered supplies far more than needed for their populations. Although one of the key aims of the Pandemic Agreement was to address the issue of inequity of supply of vaccines and other pandemic-related health products, progress could not be made as the trust level was already eroded.
I should point out a stark irony here. While developing countries are aggrieved over the shortage of vaccines during the Pandemic, in high-income countries including Singapore, we had to deal with anti-vaxxer movements which spread falsehoods and misinformation to persuade people not to take vaccines. Their actions only further accentuated the inequity of the world, that goes beyond physical supplies.
Second, the IHR. This is a longstanding framework, promulgated in 1969, to guide nation states in preventing, detecting and responding to international spread of diseases, such as avian influenza, malaria, yellow fever, Ebola, SARS and of course pandemics like influenza-H1N1 and Covid-19.
The IHR has gone through several rounds of enhancements and improvements. The recently adopted amendments are the most extensive and ambitious to date since SARS in 2005
There were those who questioned the necessity of a Pandemic Agreement, given the presence of the IHR. In fact, there was a real risk, that the climate of distrust surrounding the discussion of the Pandemic Agreement, would spill over to the negotiations of the IHR.
Fortunately, the IHR was successfully amended and enhanced. A key change was stronger commitments to build core capacities for all States, and especially developing countries, to prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies.
What do all these mean for Singapore? A lot.
Singapore is a transport node. This means any outbreak of a deadly, contagious and new pathogen will arrive in Singapore very quickly. Even if we have the best domestic disease response system, we still need to be part of a global effort because viruses do not respect borders.
We are putting our money where our mouth is, in many ways.
First, we are strengthening our disease surveillance systems, including testing waste water, conducting genetic sequencing and sharing the sequences of the pathogens we detected with the world. Hence, we informed the world about the dominance of JN.1 and KP.X Covid-19 strains during the past infection waves in Singapore. These strains did not originate in Singapore, but we detected them here and generated useful information about them. We hope that other countries will do the same for us.
Second, we are contributing to research and development for pandemic-related health products like vaccines. Our scientists are part of the network of collaborators of the 100-day mission, i.e. we will try to develop an effective vaccine within 100 days of the outbreak of the next pandemic. Scientists are working on many virus families, and we can contribute in an area we have greatest expertise in. To be clear, this is not about having a Singapore-developed vaccine but having the best possible vaccine through a global scientific effort.
Third, ensuring greater vaccine equity. While unfairness does exist between the Global North and South, this can be largely alleviated if there had been sufficient supply and production capacity. With the great work of our Economic Development Board, several vaccine and pharmaceutical suppliers (e.g. BioNTech, GSK, Sanofi, Hilleman Laboratories, Thermo Fisher) have set up facilities in Singapore. Our population needs are relatively small and there is no doubt they will be producing for the region and the world. Singapore is also part of a group of experts in the Regional Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative, which is looking into ensuring sufficient production capacity in each region of the world.
Fourth, pandemic response requires global financing. Former Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam co-chaired a G20 High Level Independent Panel on financing for pandemic preparedness and response. This resulted in the set up of a Pandemic Fund under the World Bank, to support meritorious national and regional efforts to counter pandemics.
Fifth, at the recent WHA, Singapore announced a S$24 million pledge to support the WHO Investment Round for its 2025-2028 workplan. This the first time WHO has taken a forward-looking approach to call for sustainable funding to support a multi-year workplan. Singapore is the first in Asia and one of the first WHO member states to pledge our support. The quantum is commensurate with our GDP, and we hope to catalyze the contributions of other nations.
When the trust level is weakened, it breaks the will and ability of people to work together. This can happen amongst different segments within a society, between organizations and between countries.
Once trust is absent, other players and their destructive narratives will fill the void. For example, as the negotiations of the Pandemic Agreement ran into difficulties, Governments around the world were pressured by lobby groups, such as from far right nationalists. In Singapore, I am at the receiving end too. They pandered falsehoods claiming the Agreement would force countries to forego their sovereignty, as the WHO could force vaccine mandates and lockdowns on countries.
There is of course zero truth in such assertions. But when there is no climate of trust, falsehoods will gain traction.
Trust, once lost, takes a long time to rebuild. And it has to be done via concrete actions. As a senior WHO official told me, for many countries in the Global South, and especially African countries, they much prefer to see incremental but concrete changes on the ground, such as efforts to train their medical workers and strengthening primary care. These are more important than the carefully crafted words in an Agreement.
That’s why Singapore tries to demonstrate our intent and advance our national interest through our actions. What a small country like us wants is clear and simple - we need multilateralism to work, and trust must be restored as the currency of the day.

 

[jw5]

OYK plays an unlikely sport.

Ong Ye Kung​

·
Check out an unlikely sport #OKwithOYK.

 

[jw5]

from straitstimes.com:

S’pore continues to strengthen disease surveillance, share findings globally: Ong Ye Kung​

Delegates attending the opening day of the annual World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 27. PHOTO: AFP

Judith Tan
Correspondent
UPDATED

JUN 06, 2024, 05:00 AM

FacebookTelegram

SINGAPORE – Despite a global agreement on pandemic cooperation remaining elusive even after the devastating impact of Covid-19, Singapore will continue to strengthen its disease surveillance and support efforts to tackle future pandemics.
For instance, Singapore had detected that the JN.1 and KP.X Covid-19 strains were dominant during the past infection waves here, and shared useful information such as genetic sequences with other nations, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on June 4.
In his Facebook post following the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) held in Geneva, Switzerland between May 27 and June 1, Mr Ong rued that the pandemic agreement spearheaded by the World Health Organisation fell through after two years of negotiations. He attributed this to an erosion of trust between developing and developed countries due to the disparity of vaccine availability during the pandemic.

The pandemic treaty sought a global agreement on how to best handle the next pandemic that public health officials say is sure to come, to avoid the missteps and disparities seen during the Covid-19 outbreak. But talks hit a dead end as some participating countries disagreed on a range of issues.
Still, Mr Ong welcomed the successful amendments to the International Health Regulations, a framework that guides nations in preventing, detecting and responding to the international spread of diseases including Ebola, H1N1 and Covid-19.
“A key change was stronger commitments to build core capacities for all states, and especially developing countries, to prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies,” he noted.

He said it meant “a lot” for Singapore, which as a transport node is quickly vulnerable to “any outbreak of a deadly, contagious and new pathogen”.

“Even if we have the best domestic disease response system, we still need to be part of a global effort because viruses do not respect borders,” he added.
“What a small country like us wants is clear and simple – we need multilateralism to work, and trust must be restored as the currency of the day,” Mr Ong said.
He added that when the trust level is weakened, it breaks the will and ability of people to work together, and other players and their destructive narratives will fill the void.

Mr Ong criticised how negotiations for the pandemic agreement were hindered by the pressure placed by lobby groups on governments around the world, such as from far-right nationalists.
“In Singapore, I am at the receiving end too. They pandered falsehoods claiming the agreement would force countries to forego their sovereignty, as the WHO could force vaccine mandates and lockdowns on countries. There is of course zero truth in such assertions.”
On the other hand, “Singapore tries to demonstrate our intent and advance our national interest through our actions”, Mr Ong said.

Apart from strengthening its disease surveillance systems and sharing information with the world, Singapore is contributing to research and development for pandemic-related health products like vaccines.
As part of the network of collaborators of the 100-Day Mission, scientists here aim to develop an effective vaccine within 100 days of the outbreak of the next pandemic, and are working on many virus families.
“To be clear, this is not about having a Singapore-developed vaccine but having the best possible vaccine through a global scientific effort,” Mr Ong said.
To ensure greater vaccine equity between developed and developing countries, the facilities set up in Singapore by several vaccine and pharmaceutical suppliers will be producing for the region and the world.
Singapore is also part of a group of experts in the Regional Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative, which is looking into ensuring sufficient production capacity in each region of the world.
On May 28, Mr Ong also announced that Singapore has pledged $24 million to support the WHO Investment Round from 2025 to 2028, as part of the Republic’s continued commitment to international cooperation in health, and multilateral coordination in tackling global health challenges.

 

[jw5]

OYK was encouraged.

Ong Ye Kung​

·
An encouraging sight to witness this morning the collaboration between The Association of Banks in Singapore, its member banks and the network of SG Cares Volunteer Centres @ Sembawang to provide household essentials to over 190 less privileged families in Sembawang.