Opening Speech by Professor Lee Chien Earn at the Entering the Next Phase: EGH Campus Main Construction Commencement Event

Mr Cheng Wai Keung, Chairman, SingHealth and Eastern Project Committee (EPC);

SingHealth Board and EPC members;

Professor Ng Wai Hoe, Group CEO, SingHealth;

Mr Anthony Tan, CEO, MOH Holdings;

Mr Atsushi Nakagawa, Deputy Managing Director, Obayashi Singapore;

Mr E Chee Leong, CEO, Santarli Construction;

Mr Chor Chong Leen, General Manager, Zap Piling;

Distinguished guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

Introduction

Good morning. I am so glad to have you join us today as we commemorate the completion of piling works and start of main construction for the EGH Campus. This is a significant milestone that marks the next phase of development for our campus, which represents more than just progress on a construction timeline. It signifies that we have built – quite literally – a strong and stable foundation to construct Eastern General Hospital (EGH) and Eastern Community Hospital (ECH), and are now a step closer to serving patients and augmenting Singapore’s healthcare in the east.

Looking back to look ahead

I would like to do a quick “throwback”, as the younger generation calls it, to our journey thus far.  The past one and a half years have been extremely busy but fruitful for the EGH Campus. In January last year, we welcomed our piling contractor, Zap Piling, and began piling works to form the foundation of our hospital campus. We commemorated that through a groundbreaking ceremony and community day in April 2024 on the hospital site, just across the road from where we are now. Many of you here, along with nearby residents and members of the community, celebrated with us that day.

Piling works continued through the year and progressed well. But there were also challenges along the way. From unpredictable ground conditions to weather delays and complex logistics, the team had to manage safety, quality and progress through careful planning, collaboration and problem-solving. There were also some unforeseen situations, such as once when heavy rain led to water accumulation in a low-lying area near our worksite. The team responded swiftly to resolve these issues to minimise inconvenience to our neighbours and ensure that the safety and timeline of the works were not compromised.

In February this year, piling works were completed successfully and on time. I recall that it was near Valentine’s Day when we received confirmation of the completion of piling works. The good news felt like a lovely Valentine’s Day gift from our piling contractor.

At this point, I would like to thank Mr Chor and his team from Zap Piling for doing such a commendable job, and in partnering with us to engage the community and resolve any issues on the ground during the piling phase. Thank you, Zap Piling, for your hard work, dedication and partnership.

A year and a half seem like a rather short amount of time in the grand scheme of things. But the past year was a crucial one that laid the critical groundwork and foundation for the campus, allowing us to take steady and significant strides into the next phase of development.

Entering the Next Phase

In the next chapter of main construction, the EGH Campus will slowly begin to take shape before our eyes. This is where steel and concrete – as well as our vision, mission and ethos – all come together to form the future place of care and healing for our patients and the community.

Partnering us in this endeavour is the Obayashi-Santarli Joint Venture (OSJV), a partnership between Obayashi Singapore and Santarli Construction, which has been appointed as the main contractor for the EGH Campus. OSJV will drive the construction of our campus, including managing the structural and architectural works, as well as working with nominated specialist contractors and system integrators to set up smart building systems. There is a lot to be done in a few short years, as we get EGH and ECH ready for their progressive opening in 2029 – 2030. We look forward to working closely with the OSJV team and harnessing their expertise and experience to bring our vision of the EGH Campus to life.

Beyond construction works, as part of our next stage of development, EGH will be delivering virtual healthcare services to patients. Some of you may recall Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung announcing that EGH will be the first general hospital in Singapore to deliver care virtually by 2026, even before our physical campus is up.

We are on track to do so, beginning with SingHealth’s Mobile Inpatient Care @ Home programme, known as SingHealth@Home. Under the programme, EGH staff will augment Changi General Hospital’s (CGH) team in treating its virtual ward patients in the comfort of their own homes. The team will use teleconsultations and remote monitoring capabilities, combined with home visits, to care for patients.

EGH is also part of a pioneering team in SingHealth piloting a primary care-to-specialist teleconsultation service known as Virtual Professional Consultations (VPC), which connects medical specialists with primary care providers such as family physicians in SingHealth Polyclinics and general practitioners. Under the VPC, EGH’s medical specialists engage in timely, two-way communication with primary care doctors on clinical consultations and specialist advice. This enhances care planning and decision-making for complex or specialised cases that may arise in the community and ensures timely clinical management for patients without necessarily requiring a hospital specialist referral for a clinic visit. Additionally, it builds patient confidence in primary care services and supports holistic healthcare provision in the community.

Virtual healthcare services like these are part of SingHealth’s and EGH’s endeavour to reimagine healthcare through innovation and technology. I am confident that we will gain traction in our efforts and be able to introduce more new and innovative ways to care for our patients and the community in the lead-up to the opening of the EGH Campus.

The Value of Community

As we continue on our journey – be it on the construction front or the development of our virtual and clinical services, one thing remains true:  COMMUNITY is an important part of the EGH Campus story. Everything that I shared earlier would not be possible without the community that the EGH Campus has, which is made up of all of you – our partners, collaborators, consultants, colleagues, as well as our neighbours, patient advocates, and all the stakeholders who have been part of our journey thus far.  

When we had a shipping container of medical equipment delivered to Healthcare Living Laboratory, our next-door neighbour at Dou Yee came to our “rescue” by graciously letting us borrow their loading bay to move the heavy-duty equipment. As we ramp up our hiring to run virtual services and start to nest our staff, we count heavily on our collaboration with fellow SingHealth institutions that enable and empower our ramp-up plans. On the development front, MOH Holdings and our consultants are in this together with us and a constant source of support. These are just some examples of how community is invaluable to the EGH Campus.

Closing

Not everyone here is a construction professional, but each of us are laying bricks, figuratively, to build this hospital. Today is not just a celebration of the commencement of our main construction, but the spirit of partnership that has enabled us to get here and which will continue to bring us far. We are grateful for you owning the EGH Campus with us, for sharing our vision, and for your commitment and invaluable contributions to making this hospital campus a reality.

Thank you.