Singaporeans live among the longest lives in the world, yet many spend their final years in poor health. NHG Health today announced four initiatives aimed at closing this gap and strengthening the healthspan of the population it serves.
At the opening of the 24th Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress (SHBC), NHG Health launched the NHG Cancer Institute (NHGCI) and inked partnerships with Singapore Cancer Society (SCS), and Singtel Singapore. Its Centre for Precision and Genomic Medicine (CPGM) launches tomorrow, on day two of the event. Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information and Ministry of Health, was the Guest-of-Honour and witnessed the signing of the partnerships.
The initiatives reinforce NHG Health’s one system of care that supports residents at every stage, whether they are at risk, in treatment or living with a condition. The CPGM identifies those with inherited risk of diseases such as familial hypercholesterolaemia early. The NHGCI screens, diagnoses and treats cancer, supporting patients through survivorship and palliative care. SCS as a partner extends this support into the community, enhancing access to cancer care and wellness. Singtel Singapore’s digital expertise and tools are pivotal. Its network, connectivity and digital infrastructure capabilities will help connect and strengthen this care network from hospital to home.
Professor Joe Sim, Group Chief Executive Officer, NHG Health, said, “Singapore has succeeded in helping people live longer. The next challenge is helping them stay healthy for longer. That means intervening earlier, personalising care, supporting people beyond illness, and bringing together the different parts of healthcare around each person's needs. The initiatives announced today reflect how NHG Health is strengthening care across the entire health journey – from predicting and preventing disease, to treatment, recovery and survivorship. We cannot do this alone, which is why partnerships remain essential to improving health outcomes and adding years of healthy life for the communities we serve.”
Strengthening Cancer Care Through Earlier Detection, Better Treatment and Lifelong Support
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Singapore, and approximately one in four residents is expected to develop cancer by age 751. More Singaporeans now live with and beyond cancer, so care must support their quality of life throughout.
The NHG Cancer Institute (NHGCI) is an integrated cancer care network spanning hospitals, primary care providers and community partners across the cluster. The Institute will coordinate care across a patient’s whole cancer journey, from screening to diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and palliative care. It will also progressively expand regional capacity and capabilities, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and future PET-CT services, so more patients can access specialised cancer care closer to home.
To mark the launch, NHG Health has deepened its partnership with Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) to expand cancer prevention, screening and vaccination outreach among under-screened and higher-risk groups, and to strengthen post-diagnosis support through community-based rehabilitation, survivorship programmes and caregiver education. Both organisations will also explore research, innovation and capability building in cancer care.
The partnership was further strengthened through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by Adjunct Associate Professor Chong Yew Lam, Clinical Director, NHGCI, and Mr Tan Kwang Cheak, Chief Executive Officer, SCS.
Adjunct Associate Professor Chong Yew Lam, Clinical Director, NHGCI, said, “A cancer diagnosis often means navigating many medical appointments in different care settings. Our Institute’s role is to bring all of this together into one coordinated plan of care, with a single accountable team guiding patients from screening and treatment through to survivorship. No matter which hospital a patient turns to in NHG Health, they can count on the same timely, high standard of care. This is the assurance we give as a trusted healthcare partner.”
Mr Tan Kwang Cheak, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Cancer Society, said: "With cancer incidence on the rise in Singapore, we need to strengthen our focus on cancer prevention and encourage more people to go for regular screening, as early detection saves lives. People diagnosed with cancer also need more than medical treatment. We need to provide support, guidance and care that is accessible within their communities, including financial assistance, psychosocial services, and rehabilitation to restore their quality of life. Through this partnership with NHG Health, we are working towards a more connected ecosystem of support that brings healthcare and community services closer together. This will help ensure that people affected by cancer can access the right support, at the right time, and closer to home, while empowering them to truly overcome cancer and live well."
(See Fact Sheets on NHG Cancer Institute and Partnership with Singapore Cancer Society)
Bringing Precision Medicine into Frontline Care
Improving healthspan also means identifying people at high risk of disease before symptoms emerge and treating them early. This shift from reactive to predictive care is one of the tenets of precision medicine. NHG Health will launch its Centre for Precision and Genomic Medicine (CPGM) on 9 October.
Precision medicine utilises molecular signatures from patients, such as genetic information, to diagnose disease accurately, to predict outcomes and to select the optimal management strategy.
The CPGM is well poised to support Singapore’s National Precision Medicine (NPM) Programme, led by Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE), which has a current national database of 100,000 Singaporean genomes, and now aims to bring genomic insights into clinical practice at population scale. The CPGM will oversee NHG Health’s contribution of 150,000 patient participants to NPM Phase III, which runs to 2031.
The Genomic Assessment Centres (GACs) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and Admiralty Medical Centre provides genetic counselling and testing services for the national familial hypercholesterolaemia programme, with established clinical pathways to allow referrals from GPs, polyclinics and specialists. Where a genetic condition is confirmed, targeted treatment or preventive care can begin. Family members will be offered cascade screening, extending the benefit of early identification and intervention to an entire family.
The CPGM and NHGCI will also work together on hereditary cancers. From December 2026, with the implementation of subsidised genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC), residents who are found to carry risks for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer can be followed up through the NHGCI for enhanced screening and specialist care.
The CPGM also offers pharmacogenetic testing, which guides medication choice and dosage based on a patient’s genetic profile, further reducing the risk of drug reactions.
Beyond its current services, the CPGM is also looking to expand genetic counselling services to other disciplines in the future.
Adjunct Associate Professor Leong Khai Pang, Director, CPGM, said, “One strength of genomic medicine is the power to intervene before disease declares itself. Once a genetic test confirms a diagnosis in a person, his or her entire family has an option to be investigated through cascade screening. For individuals and families, the first sign of an inherited condition can be a heart attack or a late-stage cancer. For some still-healthy people who have a high risk of future disease, the extra time will allow their physicians to execute a management strategy, which includes heightened surveillance, aggressive treatment of risk factors or even preventive surgery.”
(See Fact Sheet on NHG Health Centre for Precision and Genomic Medicine)
NHG Health and Singtel Singapore Advance Digital Health and Connected Care, Together
Digital health keeps the one NHG Health system of care well-connected, supporting more seamless and integrated care across different settings and stages of life. NHG Health and Singtel Singapore have entered into a new partnership to strengthen this connectivity and accessibility. The partnership, anchored by the Centre for Healthcare Innovation (CHI), will explore opportunities across broad areas of:
Advancing digitally enabled hospitals through technology, connectivity and innovation to enhance care delivery and operational effectiveness.
Virtual health to strengthen connected and integrated care pathways and integrated models of care across healthcare, home and community settings.
Fostering innovation and artificial intelligence, creating opportunities for shared learning and capability development to support future-ready healthcare solutions and improve population health outcomes.
This partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by Professor Joe Sim, Group Chief Executive Officer, NHG Health, and Mr Ng Tian Chong, Chief Executive Officer, Singtel Singapore.
Mr Ng Tian Chong, Chief Executive Officer, Singtel Singapore, said, “Healthcare is entering an exciting new era with faster breakthroughs in medicine and technology helping people to live healthier lives. As Singapore’s population ages, technology can support healthcare professionals to make preventive and personalised care for patients more accessible, beyond hospitals. This collaboration with NHG Health is timely and enables new models of care to be developed with the support of Singtel's intelligent connectivity, digital infrastructure, and AI capabilities. Together, we’re excited to explore and re-imagine outcomes with NHG Health to further technological advancements that can improve the preventive and personalised care outcomes of our communities and the wider healthcare ecosystem.”
This year’s SHBC, themed ‘Healthspan Revolution: Beyond Adding Years to Life’, brings together close to 2,000 international and local healthcare professionals, research scientists, academic advisors and industry experts. More information on SHBC 2026 is available at www.shbc.com.sg.
1Understanding Cancer in Singapore: Insights across National Reports By Singapore Cancer Society (Feb 2026): https://singaporecancersociety.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SCS-Understanding-Cancer-in-Singapore-Insights-Across-National-Reports.pdf
