SINGAPORE RENEWS CONTRIBUTION TO THE COALITION FOR EPIDEMIC PREPAREDNESS INNOVATIONS (CEPI) AND REAFFIRMS THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS IN ADVANCING GLOBAL HEALTH

1. Singapore will contribute USD 12 million over four years to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), in support of global pandemic preparedness. This was announced by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, at a CEPI side event at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

2. Vaccines are a critical line of defence against infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics. As a partner of CEPI since 2020, Singapore's continued contribution supports global efforts to develop and deploy vaccines rapidly and equitably against future threats. Singapore's latest contribution will be over 2027 to 2030 and is a continuation of our earlier contribution to CEPI.

3. Mr Ong led the Singapore delegation for the 79th World Health Assembly from 17 to 20 May 2026. The theme for this year's World Health Assembly is "Reshaping Global Health; A Shared Responsibility". Singapore's intervention at the Plenary was delivered by Mr Jaya Ratnam, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nation and other International Organisations at Geneva. In it, he emphasised the importance for the World Health Organization (WHO) to build partnerships to further its mission amid a time of fiscal constraints. He highlighted three areas where a new generation of partnerships will be needed - partnerships with organisations that have strong networks and surveillance capabilities for the next pandemic; technology companies to harness artificial intelligence in for preventive health; and reputable regulators across the world to set international benchmarks, and expedite approvals and time to market for medical countermeasures in support of WHO's mission.

4. Mr Ong also delivered an opening address at another side event on Strengthening Global Pandemic Preparedness: Collaborative Approaches for Rapid and Resilient Responses organised by the Communicable Diseases Agency, Robert Koch Institute, and WHO. He spoke about the progress made in disease surveillance, vaccine development, regulatory approval, and vaccine production. He outlined steps to further strengthen pandemic preparedness, and called for building global systems capable of responding swiftly in a crisis.

5. Singapore's Ministry of Health also signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) at the sidelines of the World Health Assembly. The first was with the Philippines Department of Health, signed by Mr Ong and Dr Teodoro Javier Herbosa, Philippines Secretary of Health on 17 May 2026. Under the MOU, Singapore and the Philippines will enhance cooperation in areas including primary care, health promotion, and healthcare human resource development. The second was with the Finland Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH), signed by Mr Ong and Mr Willie Rydman, Minister of Social Affairs and Health on 19 May 2026. Under the MOU, Singapore and Finland will enhance cooperation on health promotion, community care for seniors and technology in health, amongst other areas. This is the first MOU signed between MOH and the Finland MSAH. Mr Ong will also witness the signing of an MOU between Singapore's Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) and China's National Disease Control and Prevention Administration (NDCPA) on 19 May 2026.

6. On the sidelines of the Assembly, Mr Ong met foreign counterparts including Barbados' Minister of Health and Wellness, Ms Lisa R. Cummins; Germany's Federal Minister of Health, Ms Nina Warken, Indonesia's Health Minister, Mr Budi Gunadi Sadikin; Malaysia's Minister of Health, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad; Netherlands' Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, Ms Sophie Hermans; and Australia's Secretary of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Mr Blair Comley. He will also be meeting Thailand's Minister of Public Health, Mr Pattana Promphat and UAE Assistant Minister for Medical Affairs and Life Science, Dr Maha Barakat.

7. Separately, SingHealth will be receiving the State of Kuwait His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prize for Research in Health Care for the Elderly and in Health Promotion award for their cross-sector partnership work in healthy ageing, supporting seniors to age in place independently and actively through upstream preventive health efforts. The award will be received by SingHealth representatives at a ceremony in Geneva on 20 May 2026.