Mr Chew Ming Fai currently holds the appointment of Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Public Health) and Director-General of Public Health at the Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA). A member of the senior leadership team, he is responsible for operational and developmental matters related to vector control, sanitation, public cleanliness, after-death services and research in the environmental public health domain. In addition, Mr Chew also oversees policies, processes and operational capabilities environmental public health to meet current and future challenges.
Mr Chew previously held the appointments of Director, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department where he was responsible for safeguarding food hygiene standards in Singapore; Director, Vector Control and Sanitation Department where he oversaw policies on vector control and sanitation; Head of NEA’s North West Regional Office where he was in-charge of operations to ensure high environmental public health standards in the North West District of Singapore; and Deputy Director, Environment Technology Department where he leveraged the ops-tech process to introduce new technologies to NEA.
Prior to joining NEA, Mr Chew was with the Singapore Economic Development Board and held portfolios in strategic planning, tax and grant policy management, industry development and investment promotion.
Presentation Synopsis
Policy-making on Environmental Sustainability in Public Health
As Singapore becomes increasingly open to global travels and as its resident population and housing densities increase, the risk of disease transmission through vectors and from person-to-person also increases in tandem. The aging population is more vulnerable to diseases and an aging workforce presents a challenge to the maintenance of high public health standards. More wastes are generated and this potentially shortens the lifespan of the only landfill.
The plenary session presents some of the challenges in environmental public health and sustainability, such as in the areas of dengue control, environmental cleanliness, zero waste, and explores some solutions and plans which Singapore has adopted to overcome these challenges.