Speech by President Halimah Yacob at Third ServingSG Event

Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash, Group Director, Crisis Strategy and Operations Group, Ministry of Health

Distinguished Guests

Good morning. Thank you for joining me at the third instalment of the #ServingSG series. We have just crossed the two-year mark of COVID-19. Last week, The Straits Times published a book chronicling the nation’s fight against the pandemic. As we reflect on our journey so far, it is also important to thank those who have played a substantial role in Singapore’s COVID-19 response.

We started the #ServingSG series in Istana to recognise the men and women who have risen to the occasion, working ‘behind-the-scenes’ in service to the nation. Pre-COVID, previous iterations of this event had honoured environmental service workers who maintain our country’s reputation for cleanliness and hygiene, as well as service delivery officers in the public sector who help people navigate Government services, addressing multifaceted and complex needs. In a stroke of coincidence, these same groups were also the same ones who stepped up during the pandemic.

COVID-19 has made us more attuned to the role that unsung heroes play in protecting the rest of us. During my visits to Changi Airfreight Centre and Changi General Hospital in April last year, I met the ICA officers and healthcare workers who have been in the trenches from the very beginning. They portrayed a profound sense of purpose and commitment to serve, despite their increased workload.

The pandemic has been unprecedented in many ways. The last major disease outbreak we faced – SARS – lasted for about three months before Singapore was declared SARS-free by the World Health Organization. Our experience with SARS put in place the structures that helped us in our responses to COVID-19. Chief among others were the Crisis Management Groups formed under the Homefront Crisis Executive Group. The #ServingSG event today recognises the individuals who have contributed, with quiet dignity and grace, to MOH’s Crisis Strategy and Operations Group.

The long-drawn nature of COVID-19, unlike SARS, has entailed the continual recalibration of our public health responses. Despite the odds, you got the job done and remained resolute in your mission. Each time there was a new development – whether vaccine or variant – you reconsidered your objectives, readjusted your strategies, and reorganised yourselves without grumble or grouse.

Let me highlight three ways in which you have exemplified the spirit of #ServingSG. First, by refining processes; second, by raising capabilities; third, by reassuring communities.

Singapore’s experience with COVID-19, as with many countries around the world, has not been linear. There were often no precedents for the measures we had to put in place. Take for example, the agility and innovation demonstrated by the Case Management Task Group in managing unprecedented surges in cases, the adjustments to the Home Quarantine Protocol and the transition to the Home Recovery Programme as the default care arrangement for most COVID-19 patients. These were steps towards living with endemic COVID-19, but had never been done at such scale.

Understandably, people were anxious. Those of you in the Case Management Contact Centre worked tirelessly round the clock to answer and address the concerns that came through the call centre. You listened and you took action, working with other stakeholders and policy divisions to review and refine processes based on feedback. This led to the streamlining of the testing and isolation procedures into three simple protocols. In refining these processes, you provided clarity to policy, with a view to improving service delivery.

It has often been said that Singapore’s greatest resource is our people. This is especially true in managing a crisis. All of you come from diverse backgrounds. Some were former air cabin crew; others used to work in the hospitality and tourism sector. Several are public servants seconded from other agencies and many have come out from retirement to do your part for the nation. If you had asked yourselves five years ago whether being at the forefront of the battle against a global pandemic was part of your career plan, you would have likely said no. Yet you stepped up to the plate, gamely adjusting to new roles and learning the ropes. Beyond developing your own capabilities, you brought a range of acquired skills and experiences to the table.

At the heart of #ServingSG are Singaporeans who have eased the lives of fellow Singaporeans. Amidst the uncertainties, you reassured different communities. On the ground, the Vaccination Operations Task Group monitored and ensured the proper operationalisation of the national inoculation exercise. This included the mobile vaccination teams, which brought convenience to seniors in the heartlands. Your mission to reach out to different segments of the population continues as we roll out the vaccination exercise for children.

We still grapple with various unknowns. But let today attest to the fact that no task you undertook went unnoticed or unappreciated. From scheduling vaccinations to looking after persons under quarantine, your contributions position Singapore and Singaporeans to better face the challenges that lie ahead.

I am sorry that we could not accommodate more people due to safe management measures, and I wish we could have hosted every single individual who has played a part in handling COVID-19 operations. We do not really realise how much you have all been doing to keep us safe. A lot of your work is unseen. While many of us appreciate the work that you do, I hope more Singaporeans will show appreciation. Your work is not easy, and you are also concerned with your own safety, health, and families. But you do it nevertheless. And because you do the work that you do, you have helped to keep us safe. For that, we are grateful.

 Thank you.