Speech by President Halimah Yacob at the Opening of Brahm Centre@Macpherson

Professor Choo Chiau Beng, Patron of Brahm Centre

Ms Chen Yew Nah, Chairperson of Brahm Centre 

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning. I am happy to join all of you at the official opening of Brahm Centre @ MacPherson. I am glad to know that this is the third centre and a fourth one will be opening next year.

Mental wellbeing is an integral and essential component of good health. The World Health Organisation defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.

We tend to define mental health narrowly. We should look at the issue in a broader concept. Mental health conditions can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and demands on healthcare and other publicly funded services. Services to provide a holistic approach of care and support for persons with mental health conditions are therefore important. As part of the Community Mental Health (CMH) Masterplan launched by MOH in 2012, initiatives like those offered by Brahm Centre will proactively reach out to the community, raise awareness of mental health conditions and promote help-seeking behaviour. People generally do not speak about mental health issues, partly because of the stigma associated with the condition and partly because of our culture. With the foundation that has been laid, Singapore will be better placed to continually adapt and respond to new challenges in the healthcare environment.

Having a supportive community helps with the recovery for those with mental health issues. There is only so much that Government and organisations can do. Having a supportive community helps with the recovery for those with mental health issues. By leveraging existing service providers, we can improve access to mental health services through community engagement.  For example, collaboration and partnerships among relevant stakeholders – such as patients, social care, voluntary sector, local businesses – can help develop local networks for training and coordinating interventions, as well as raise community mental health awareness.  It can also improve knowledge on how, when and where to seek help, and build local social networks to reach the underserved. These include businesses and hawker centres within the community who can have a better understanding of the behaviours of persons with mental conditions.

Brahm Centre is a good example of such a partnership.   Its programmes help those at-risk or diagnosed with mental health conditions by providing free weekly health education exercise programs, art courses, chair yoga, dance therapy, dementia awareness and mindfulness courses to enhance the physical and mental well-being of the community. I am heartened that since becoming operational in October, the Centre has served more than 500 individuals this way.

It is important to support the caregivers as they bear the brunt of caring for their loved ones. I am pleased to know that Brahm Centre is also partnering the Ministry of Health and the Agency for Integrated Care under the CMH Masterplan to establish a CREST Team (which stands for “Community Resource, Engagement and Support Team”). The CREST Team will serve as a community safety network for people with or at risk of depression, dementia and other mental health conditions. The team will provide resources and emotional support to caregivers so that they can continue to care for their loved ones at home and in the community.

An important part of the CMH Masterplan is also the six Dementia Friendly Communities (DFC) across the island, of which MacPherson is one.  I am happy that Brahm Centre is helping to support the DFC initiative by engaging the community on dementia awareness and developing a support network for persons with dementia. This year alone, Brahm Centre has already reached out to more than 4,000 people to educate the community on early symptoms of dementia and the importance of staying actively engaged. It is important to prevent the deterioration of dementia, including taking preventive measures such as engaging in stimulating intellectual activities and games.

In closing, let me congratulate the Brahm Centre Board and staff on the successful launch of this centre. We look forward to Brahm Centre’s continued contributions in helping to develop positive mental well-being in Singapore.

Thank you.