Singapore's pandemic strategy

How are emerging challenges reshaping our approach to pandemic preparedness?

The threat of new infectious diseases is perennial, due to climate change, globalisation, and urbanisation. Strengthening surveillance systems, improving early warning capabilities, and harnessing emerging technologies are essential for early detection and better management of infectious diseases threats.

Our increasingly connected and urbanised world requires cross-sector and -border collaboration to address evolving threats. The management of zoonotic diseases and their potential spillover exemplifies this need, requiring a “One Health” approach that recognises the intricate relationship between human health, animal health, and the environment. In Singapore, agencies like the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), National Environment Agency (NEA), National Parks Board (NParks), and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) coordinate their efforts to effectively track, prevent, and respond to zoonotic diseases.

The unpredictability of novel pathogens requires public health and healthcare professionals to develop and implement adaptable and proactive health strategies. Public health professionals also play a key role in fostering community trust, combating misinformation, and ensuring equitable access to healthcare resources.

What is Singapore’s public health strategy during pandemics?

Singapore pandemic response strategy focuses on achieving two fundamental objectives – saving lives and protecting livelihoods.

In any pandemic, a range of public health and social measures (PHSMs) may be implemented to reduce disease transmission, such as safe distancing, quarantine, and border measures. Vaccination could also be a critical way to reduce the severity of the disease and prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed.

However, Singapore recognises that such protective measures can significantly impact livelihoods – e.g. from small businesses having fewer customers to modified childcare arrangements. To minimise these impacts, it is important to calibrate the measures carefully and find a balance between protecting public health and ensuring that people’s lives can continue as smoothly as possible.

Why is cross-sector collaboration crucial in pandemic preparedness?

Cross-sector collaboration is fundamental to effective pandemic preparedness as infectious diseases threats do not exist in isolation. They impact and are influenced by multiple sectors, including healthcare, food, animal, environment, trade, transport, and economic sectors.

At the government level, this cross-sector collaboration is supported through the Homefront Crisis Executive Group (HCEG), which brings together senior representatives from all ministries to guide and coordinate a coherent Whole-of-Government response during national crises like pandemics.

By bringing together diverse expertise, resources, and capabilities needed to address complex challenges, it also enables more efficient resource allocation, knowledge sharing, and coordinated decision-making, while fostering innovation.

How do health systems and healthcare professionals strengthen our readiness for a potential pandemic?

Policymakers and healthcare providers ensure that comprehensive business continuity plans are in place to maintain critical services and effective crisis communications during pandemics. They safeguard patients and healthcare workers through regularly updating infection control protocols and maintaining high operational standards, ensuring responsiveness to evolving health threats. Building capacity and capabilities are crucial through comprehensive training programmes, regular tabletop exercises, and simulation drills to help teams. In doing so, organisations and institutions identify gaps and maintain effective emergency response protocols.

A robust response begins with early detection and surveillance, where healthcare professionals contribute by promptly identifying and reporting unusual disease patterns. Public health professionals also stay informed about emerging or re-emerging infectious disease threats and leverage data from surveillance systems. By detecting cases early, they can be prevented from turning into large outbreaks.

By actively engaging in research, supporting clinical trials, and collaborating with policymakers, healthcare professionals contribute to the development of new medical countermeasures and provide real-world insights on patient outcomes, healthcare capacity, and intervention effectiveness. This accelerates the development of evidence-based practices and policies, keeping response strategies current.

Healthcare professionals also play a key role in educating patients and the public on preventive measures, helping to combat misinformation, and promoting trust in public health interventions, such as vaccination.