Can Singapore lead in global health?

E PLURIBUS unum (Out of many, one) is a phrase on the seal of the United States. It aptly summarises the potential benefits that can be reaped when communities and nations unite in the fight against common global threats. Ability to effectively counter these threats lies in international cooperation and strong national and multinational institutions.

Ebola has just reminded us that we live in a small ever-shrinking global village. Even if we keep our homes clean and spotless, new viruses and bacteria can literally fly in at a moment's notice, sometimes from other parts of the world. That is why it is so important that we combine both local and global efforts in the field of health. This is also the reason the inaugural Raffles Dialogue will take place in Singapore in February. A stellar cast of international speakers, including Pascal Lamy, Mari Pangetsu, and the editor of The Lancet, Richard Horton, will be coming to address the broad theme of the Future of Human Well-being and Security. Similarly, the Ministry of Health will also be organising a Ministerial Health Summit in mid-February, demonstrating that Singapore has become one of the key centres for global coordination on global health challenges. One little known fact to many Singaporeans is that the World Health Organization (WHO) has established 10 collaborating centres in Singapore alone, covering key areas like health promotion and disease prevention, water and food safety, and bioethics. In short, the Little Red Dot has become a global hotspot in the field of health.

It all began in 1905 when the unstinting fundraising efforts of the visionary Tan Jiak Kim and like-minded community and business leaders of the day led to the establishment of our country's medical school, which has produced generations of medical doctors who have gone on to staff the country's hospitals and clinics. Over time, the school became a university, which is today's NUS. And thanks to the philanthropic support of the Yong Loo Lin Trust and other committed donors, the country's first medical school continues to flourish today and, with the University, marks its 110th year in July.