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Singapore Heart Foundation Celebrates 53 Years of Championing the Heart Health Movement
- As Singapore adopts a whole-of-nation approach to prepare for the ageing population, SHF has announced the launch of a comprehensive hypertension campaign targeting Singaporeans of all ages in May 2023
- Plans to make CPR+AED training more accessible and expand the installation of AEDs in private estates and the landed residential areas
Singapore, 8 April 2023 – Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) celebrates its 53rd anniversary today at the Shangri-La Singapore with an event recognising the organisation’s role in heart health’s past, present and future. A miniature exhibition at the event showcased artefacts amassed from some of the SHF’s most significant campaigns. The momentous evening demonstrated SHF’s enduring growth over the years and shared how SHF will continue to fight cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the country. Gracing the event was Guest of Honour President Halimah Yacob, who gave the opening address, SHF Patron Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, and Mrs Goh.
CVD remains one of the top killers in Singapore, accounting for 32% of all deaths in 2021.1 Given that hypertension is among the most prevalent risk factors for CVD, occurring in over one in three Singaporeans from age 18 to 74 years2, SHF has been focusing its efforts on this major risk factor and prioritising chronic disease prevention.
In her opening address, Guest of Honour President Halimah Yacob shared, “SHF has made significant contributions over the years, including the donation of the first Coronary Care Ambulance to Singapore General Hospital in 1974, the introduction of Asia’s first ever CPR Self-Learning Kiosk in 2018 and the female CPR manikin vest in 2021, which allowed Singaporeans to be ready during cardiac emergencies. SHF also introduced many public education campaigns such as its signature event National Heart Week/World Heart Day since 1972 to educate Singaporeans about CVD and its risk factors.”
In addition to these contributions, SHF also emphasises cardiac rehabilitation, recognising it as a vital means of supporting individuals, who have suffered a heart attack through recovery and empowerment to make positive lifestyle changes. To this end, SHF’s three cardiac rehabilitation centres, known as Heart Wellness Centres, have helped over 2,500 heart patients and at-risk individuals by providing supervised exercise sessions, nutritional counselling and patient education on heart disease conditions, treatment, and risk factor modification.
“SHF has been an impetus in Singapore’s pursuit of optimal heart health, and we are proud to have positively impacted the lives of numerous individuals through our various initiatives,” said Prof Tan Huay Cheem, Chairman of Singapore Heart Foundation. “As we move into a post-pandemic future, we remain committed to our cause and will continue to leverage our expertise to enhance the lives of Singaporeans, adapting to meet the challenges that lay ahead.”
Leading Cardiovascular Wellness
With Singapore’s whole-of-nation approach to accommodating the ageing population, it is increasingly important to focus on maintaining good heart health. As part of their efforts, SHF announced at the anniversary event that they would launch a comprehensive hypertension campaign in May 2023. The campaign targets Singaporeans of all ages. It will leverage online and physical activities to educate the public about their blood pressure and provide guidance on effective management techniques.
One example of SHF’s efforts in the hypertension campaign includes working with Bishan East-Sin Ming Constituency Office to set up a Blood Pressure (BP) education booth where Bishan residents can learn how to measure their BP. SHF has also collaborated with Nanyang Polytechnic to release a Salt Taste Threshold Research later in the year to understand the relationship between individual salt taste thresholds and hypertension. The research is based on a study of 163 clients participating in SHF’s cardiac rehabilitation programmes from 2020 to 2023.
Another programme that has been providing heart health education is SHF’s BP Initiative @ Schools. At the event, Prof Tan Huay Cheem, Chairman of the Singapore Heart Foundation, shared the initiative has reached out to over 125,476 students and 200,829 family members since 2010, educating them on the importance of maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. Building upon the BP Initiative @ Schools, the Sodium Consumer Education programme, an SHF collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, will commence later this year to enhance public understanding of sodium intake in daily life.
Expanding Lifesaving Skills
To further comprehensive efforts, SHF has notably contributed to the enhancement of the lifesaving ecosystem in Singapore. Since 2008, SHF has trained more than 100,000 individuals in CPR+AED techniques to improve public access to AEDs. The foundation has also collaborated with key organisations, including the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the Singapore Resuscitation and First Aid Council and the Unit for Pre-hospital Emergency Care to improve CPR training and increase the probability of survival. The various efforts to equip the public with lifesaving knowledge have increased Singapore’s Utstein survival rate3 for cardiac arrest, from 4.8% in 2011 to 22.2% in 2020.
SHF is committed to promoting CPR+AED training. To develop a resilient nation, it will expand its programmes to reach more social service agencies, workplaces, corporate partners and targeted groups, such as foreign workers and caregivers. In addition, SHF is also working with the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Ministry of Health to encourage more public and private establishments to install AEDs and register their publicly accessible AEDs. Moreover, there are plans to widen the installation of AEDs in private estates and landed residential areas that currently lack AEDs.
For more information, please visit SHF’s 53rd anniversary milestone page.
- https://www.myheart.org.sg/health/heart-disease-statistics/
- https://www.moh.gov.sg/docs/librariesprovider5/default-document-library/nphs-2020-survey-report.pdf
- The Utstein survival rate refers to the survival rate of a cardiac arrest that was witnessed and shockable.
