Preface

It is with great pleasure that we celebrate the 100th year of Paediatrics in Singapore with this commemorative issue, with Professor Quak Seng Hock as the Guest Editor. In 1921, Paediatrics emerged as a standalone specialty in Singapore, and the first inpatient paediatric unit was opened at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). The first article in this special supplementary edition of the Singapore Medical Journal by Ng et al takes us through the evolution of paediatrics from ‘Paeds East’ and ‘Paeds West’ at the Mistri Wing in SGH to Alexandra Hospital (AH) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), and to the current departments in National University Hospital (NUH) and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). Neonatology was first established at KKH, Toa Payoh Hospital and AH before moving to the current departments in NUH, SGH and KKH. Paediatric surgery was formally introduced in 1981 at SGH, and Prof A Jacobsen takes us through the growth of this discipline. Another article by Prof Ho Lai Yun chronicles the 30 years of building a nationwide system aimed at early diagnosis and timely intervention for children with developmental issues.

There have been significant advances in child health in Singapore over the past century, and epidemiology, diagnostics and therapies for paediatric illnesses have evolved greatly over time. Growth has been recorded in every subspecialty, and this issue highlights some of the achievements and developments in the management of children with gastrointestinal and liver disorders, and provides interesting insights into the history and outcomes of our national paediatric liver transplantation programme. Newborn screening and genomics have also played an increasingly important role over the years by facilitating earlier detection of and appropriate therapy for congenital disorders.

All these advancements could not have been realised without the dedication and mentorship of the pioneering generations of paediatricians over the years. There have been many key figures in paediatrics who have paved the way and been the giants on whose shoulders we stand. It would be impossible to name all of them, but we hope that as you read through the articles in this special edition, you will take a moment to remember and honour the many mentors in paediatrics. We thank them for their selfless sacrifices and deep commitment to build the future.

As we celebrate 100 years of paediatrics in Singapore, we rejoice in the achievements and evolution of medical care for children and eagerly strive towards the impactful transformation of child health.