In 1952, when the Singapore Paediatric Society held its first meeting, our world was very different from today but even though the challenges doctors faced then were also very different, the aims and the ideals of the society were just the same as now Because the future generation is always the children we care for today. In the early days, paediatric health care, focused on issues like infectious diseases and malnutrition. But after decades of progress, in medicine and society in general, the focus has shifted to problems like obesity and cancer. So how has the SPS changed through the years. Our first home was the former Mistri Wing at the original Singapore General Hospital building, but now our presence spreads to other paediatric, medical and academic centres throughout the island. We have built an organisation which works hard to bring the profession together – not just paediatric specialists but also general practitioners, nurses and other paramedical staff who care for our children – to enhance the health of the young through education and training of healthcare providers, promoting research as well as strengthening the bonds between professionals, and encouraging cooperation within the medical fraternity so that everyone who cares about the future of our children can share their experience and spend time together exchanging ideas – at conferences, informal meetings and social events. We also work closely with other local, regional and international bodies to keep in touch and up to speed.
Above all, we are a focal point for everyone in Singapore concerned with children’s health. A voice of the profession and an organisation where people can turn for advice, or request information and whenever any policy impacts children’s health, we are there to put across the views of our profession and as the SPS evolves, our focus will also continue to change, but our hopes and objectives will always be set on the children we care for – always active and always involved.
In recent times, we’ve introduced our web site and focused more on how to communicate better, including our newsletter - to reinvent ourselves in tune with modern media and raise our profile, while keeping in touch with our members.
But even though we seek to be progressive, at the heart of our organisation, our aims will always be the same – focused on children, and spreading the word about health care. Today, the SPS is also trying to be more member centred, to maximise effectiveness and our responsiveness so we can do what is best for the good of the paediatric fraternity as a whole and for the next generation. If children are our future, then the SPS is also clearly focused on the future.