Hospital Milestones

2019

• Singapore’s inaugural Child Trauma Conference is organised by KKH with support from Temasek Foundation Cares. The conference is a platform for international and local trauma experts and practitioners to come together to interact and share best practices in trauma recovery and building resilience in children.
• The Rare Disease Fund, managed by the KKH Health Fund (part of SingHealth Fund) is launched by the Ministry of Health and SingHealth Fund to encourage community donations towards supporting Singapore citizens with rare diseases who are treated in public healthcare institutions. This will give support to patients whose treatment costs remain unaffordable even after government subsidies, insurance and financial assistance (such as Medication Assistance Fund, MediFund) have been provided.
• The Temasek Foundation Integrated Maternal and Child Wellness Hub located within SingHealth Polyclinics – Punggol, is expected to benefit up to 5,000 pairs of mothers and their children (aged 0 to 4) in the vicinity. The three-year pilot programme is a collaboration between KKH, SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP) and Temasek Foundation (TF), and introduces preventive care and early intervention services critical to child development and growth, as well as screening for postnatal depression for mothers.
• KKH marks the 25th year of organising the Healthy Breastfed Baby Contest, with an inaugural ‘A Star is Born at KKH!’ talent search and a family-friendly carnival.
• A one-stop dedicated paediatric orthotic centre is opened to provide a full range of orthotic services for children with lower limb and spine conditions requiring assistive devices. The centre features an in-house workshop, which is run by prosthetists and orthotists, fully-equipped to create custom orthoses for children.
• The SingHealth Duke-NUS Genomic Medicine Centre (SDGMC) is launched to provide highly-specialised genetics care and facilitate genomics research and education across all SingHealth institutes, with the ultimate aim of advancing care for patients and families with genetic diseases.

2018

• KKH celebrates its 160th anniversary.
• Two KKH clinician scientists clinch awards at the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Awards 2018. Dr Yeo Joo Guan, Consultant with the Division of Medicine at KKH, received the Transition Award for his research into childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most severe type of a group of rheumatic disorders common in Singapore. Dr Mahesh Sangrithi, Consultant with the Department of Reproductive Medicine at KKH, won the Clinician Scientist Award (Investigator Category) for his research into sex chromosome aneuploidy-associated infertility to better understand the mechanisms underlying the influence of the X chromosome on gene expression and methylation in germ cells.
• KKH and AMKFSC Community Services Ltd (AMKFSC), with support from Temasek Foundation Cares and Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), organise Singapore’s first Integrated Child Health and Social Congress to enhance awareness of the early formative years of a child’s life, and the importance of cross-sector coordination of services and collaboration in the delivery of services to support children from vulnerable families.
• The Benjamin Henry Sheares Professorship in Obstetrics and Gynaecology is established in honour of the late Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares, Singapore’s father of modern O&G who went on to serve as the second President of the Republic of Singapore. The Professorship aims to further address key academic challenges – in research, education and clinical care – and advance academic standards in the field of O&G for Singapore and beyond.

2017

• KKH and NTUC’s SEED collaborate to pilot an infant care training course for the domestic helpers of families with infants, which will equip them with the basic know-how to care for and interact with infants, with a focus on safety and hygiene which are the key concerns of parents. The course also includes a module to help both the employers and their helpers establish a common understanding of how the infant should be cared for.
• KKH is re-accredited as a Baby Friendly Hospital for its efforts in supporting mothers and families in their breastfeeding journey. The hospital’s commitment to implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, according to the WHO/UNICEF Global Criteria, has earned it the re-accreditation effective from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020.
• KKH wins the prestigious Asia-Pacific Excellence Awards for the Viral Communications category, competing alongside 2,500 submissions from Asia Pacific.
• KKH launches the Obstetric Monitoring Unit to extend obstetrics services in the area of induction of labour and caring for high risk pregnancies.
• KKH hosts the 3rd ASEAN Seminar on Multi-disciplinary Care for Children with Mobility Impairment (AMCM), which underscores the importance of multi-disciplinary collaboration and coordination in the care of children with conditions such as cerebral palsy, neuromuscular disease and spina bifida. Healthcare experts from the ASEAN region in the fields of paediatric rehabilitation shared insights on care management strategies and outcomes at the seminar themed “Beyond the Bend: Spinal Issues in Children with Mobility Impairment”.
• KKH receives the Workplace Safety and Health Award and the Leading CEO Award (awarded to former KKH CEO, Prof Kenneth Kwek) at the Singapore HR Awards 2017. Organised by Singapore Human Resources Institute, the Singapore HR Awards celebrates leading organisations and HR practitioners in their drive for impactful human capital strategies.
• KKH clinches the Progressive Employer Award for its commitment in hiring and integrating persons with disabilities into its workforce. The Enabling Employers Awards is a nationally recognised award that honours and recognises the efforts of employers in hiring and retaining employees with disabilities.
• The J.M. Gomez Faculty Development Fund in Patient Safety and Clinical Quality is established to honour the late Associate Professor Joseph Manuel Gomez’s life-long commitment to patient safety and clinical quality. It supports research and education programmes as well as training opportunities in these critical areas.

2016

• KKH Senior Consultant with the Endocrinology Service at KKH, Dr Lek Ngee, receives the Transition Award at the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Awards 2016. The NMRC is awarded to translational and clinical researchers in Singapore who would contribute to transformation of patient care through their research.
• KKH opens a new Paediatric Neuro-Oncology multisciplinary clinic which provides a holistic one-stop service to patients with brain tumours.
• KKH introduces the Home Total Parenteral Nutrition (Home TPN) programme to allow parents and caregivers to care for their child on TPN at the comfort of home. The programme is the hospital's first paediatrics home PN service, benefitting both the patients and their families as they are able to have better quality of life at home.
• The Development Support Programme (DSP) Consultancy Team from Department of Child Development (DCD) was awarded the May Day 2016 Partnerships Awards for their outstanding contributions in the partnership with NTUC First Campus for the professional development of its Learning Support Educators to run the DSP for children with mild developmental needs in My First Skool network of centres.
• KKH, together with Temasek Cares, has launched Singapore’s first network to support children affected by trauma. Initiated by Temasek Cares, the Stay Prepared – Trauma Network for Children aims to bring psychosocial trauma support and care into the core of Singapore’s community. This is a successive collaboration between KKH and Temasek Cares following the launch of the Temasek Cares KITS (Kids in Tough Situations) programme in April 2014.
• KKH’s security team has won the National Outstanding Individual Safety and Security Watch Group Award 2016 given out jointly by the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force.
• The Trusted Care Process Redesign for Elective Lower Segment Caesarean Section Care by KKH and IHiS was awarded the IT Excellence in Providing Quality of Care (Category C) at the National Health IT Excellence Awards.
• Dr Joseph Manuel Gomez, Director, Medical Informatics and Head and Senior Consultant, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, KKH, was named ‘Champion for Health IT Excellence’ at the National Health IT Excellence Awards.
• KKH together with SingHealth Duke-NUS Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programme (ACP) is the first Academic Medical Centre in Singapore to be a satellite partner in Children's Cancer Foundation's Hair for Hope, raising more than $197,000 in support of children with cancer.
• KKH co-develops the "iControl Eczema app" with the School of Information Technology from Nanyang Polytechnic, and Hyphens Pharma. The new child‐friendly eczema smartphone app helps young patients with eczema take control of the itchy skin condition.
• KKH sets a new Guinness World Records title for the "Largest Reunion of People Born at the Same Hospital". A total of 2,241 people aged between seven and 84 years, and born in KKH, gathered at the "Born in KKH" community family carnival on 16 October 2016 to participate in the record setting event.
• KKH, together with Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities and Lien Foundation pioneered the Early Childhood Holistic Outcomes (ECHO) service and outcomes framework. The new family-centred approach to early childhood intervention focuses on improving the daily functioning of children with special needs.

2015

• KKH opens a new patient-centric ENT Centre. With a larger area at the second level of the Children's Tower, the new centre provides an improved experience for patients and their families, while catering to the high demand for its comprehensive one-stop services.
• KKH organised “Kids Explore@KKH”, an event to treat young explorers – children aged six to 12 – to an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experiential tour to learn more about the hospital’s facilities and appreciate the roles of different healthcare professions in the care of patients.
• The Tan Cheng Lim-CCF Professorship in Paediatric Oncology is jointly established by SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre’s Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programme (Paeds ACP) and Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF), in honour Professor Tan Cheng Lim – a pioneer in paediatric oncology in Singapore. Currently Emeritus Consultant with the Department of Paediatric Subspecialties at KKH, Prof Tan is one of the longest-serving paediatricians in public healthcare. The Paeds ACP, operating out of both KKH and Singapore General Hospital campuses champions clinical research, advancing future treatment and care for children affected by childhood cancers and other paediatric conditions.
• KKH opens Singapore’s first Fetal Surgery Suite, a one-stop facility dedicated to providing complex fetal treatments, including fetal laser surgery for the treatment of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) – a rare syndrome which only occurs in identical twins that share the same placenta.
• KKH partners Viva Foundation for Children with Cancer (VIVA) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, USA (St. Jude) to establish the VIVA-KKH Paediatric Brain and Solid Tumour Programme. Based on a framework and scope developed by KKH, this phased three-year pilot project will leverage on the core strength of KKH in treating brain and solid tumours while St. Jude will lend its knowledge and expertise to the programme.
• Temasek Cares, KKH and AMKFSC Community Services Ltd (AMKFSC) officially launch the first-of-its-kind Temasek Cares KIDS 0-3 Centre, which puts under one roof, health, social and educational services for vulnerable children aged 0 to three, and their mothers from the Temasek Cares Kids Integrated Development Service 0-3 (“Temasek Cares KIDS 0-3”) programme. The unique Temasek Cares KIDS 0-3 programme aims to provide a comprehensive spectrum of care through a multi-tiered, integrated community health and social care support system. The pilot Temasek Cares KIDS 0-3 programme expects to serve a total of 300 mothers and their children from diverse backgrounds over a three-year period, with funding of $8.7 million by Temasek Cares.
• KKH's Department of Child Development receives the National Clinical Excellence Team Award at the National Medical Excellence Award 2015 for their outstanding contributions as well as achievements in providing integrated family-centred and community-based outreach for preschool-aged children with developmental needs.
• KKH is conferred a Special Award at the Skyrise Greenery Awards by the National Parks Board on 5 November 2015, for incorporating landscaping and environmentally-friendly features on the roof surfaces above the hospital's administrative offices. The award recognises KKH's commitment towards protecting the environment, and promoting continual improvements to achieve environmental, health and safety targets and objectives.
• KKH publishes “Dear KKH, Hope in 50 Letters”, a special commemorative book in celebration of SG50, featuring stories of Singaporeans from all walks of life with the fondest memories of their healthcare journeys with KKH.

2014

• Tan Cheng Lim Research & Education Fund is established by the SingHealth Duke-NUS Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programme to advance clinical research and support education in paediatric medicine. The fund is named after Prof Tan Cheng Lim, who is currently Emeritus Consultant, Department of Paediatric Subspecialties at KKH, and one of the longest-serving paediatricians in public healthcare.
• KKH expands its neonatal and paediatric ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) programme that provides life-sustaining heart and lung support for critically ill infants and children. The expansion was made possible by a donation of $300,000 from Nu Skin’s Southeast Asia Children’s Heart Fund towards the purchase of two new ECMO machines.
• The Psychosocial Trauma Support Service (PTSS) at KKH partners with Temasek Cares to pilot a programme to provide community-based therapy to children experiencing trauma-related emotional and psychological difficulties. The Temasek Cares KITS (Kids in Tough Situations) Programme is a three-year pilot that aims to train 60 community-based social workers, therapists and school counsellors to provide trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) to children within their environment in school and the community. The programme is supported by Temasek Cares, under its ‘Stay Prepared’ initiative to better prepare the Singapore community for emergencies.
• Continuing a longstanding legacy in education and clinical training, KKH partners the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) − a joint medical school by Nanyang Technological University and Imperial College London − to design the curriculum for the paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology disciplines for the school’s undergraduate medical programme.
• KKH establishes the Diabetes Annual Review Clinic − a multidisciplinary initiative allowing young patients with diabetes to obtain the recommended annual screening tests for diabetes-related health conditions, diabetes education and counselling on preventative self-care, healthy lifestyle and dietary advice, as well as social support and financial counselling if needed – all within a single visit to the hospital.
• The KKH Children’s Epilepsy Support Group is set up as a collaborative effort between the hospital’s Neurology Service, Medical Social Work Department, Division of Nursing and Psychology Service, to equip patients and their caregivers with skills to manage the psychosocial, cognitive and social issues associated with epilepsy.
• The KKH Health Endowment Fund (KKHHEF) Donor Wall is unveiled in celebration of 12 years of supporting women and children in need of financial assistance for medical treatment.
• KKH is accredited as a baby-friendly hospital by the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), a global effort by the World Health Organization and UNICEF to implement practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
• KKH commissions The Paediatric Nursing Handbook, a pocket-sized resource guide for nurses caring for young patients. It covers the basics of paediatric health and age-appropriate health conditions, common paediatric emergencies, care of paediatric medical conditions and essentials for children undergoing surgery. Consolidating a wealth of expertise from multiple disciplines across KKH, this nursing-led initiative is a handy resource to help paediatric nurses in their professional, as well as their personal lives.
• The Department of Neonatology at KKH publishes a guidebook for parents of infants at high-risk, who have been admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Special Care Nursery (SCN). Titled 'A New Journey Begins...', the guidebook aims to ease the anxieties of parents by introducing the NICU and SCN to them, along with an explanation of common medical conditions and procedures, care and feeding tips, as well as references to other support resources.
• 400 healthcare pioneers were honoured by KKH for their contributions to establishing a legacy of excellence in patient care and academic medicine for women and children, at an event “Rooted in Excellence – A Tribute to Our Pioneers”.
• KKH raises a record amount of $510,000 for SingHealth President’s Challenge 2014, rallying efforts across the SingHealth cluster. With a dollar-for-dollar match by the government, under the nationwide fundraising and volunteerism movement, Care and Share, the total amount raised for the President’s charity was a remarkable $1.02 million. The hospital also set a new record for the “Largest Display of Pledge Stickers” in the Singapore Book of Records with a display of 9,318 heart-shaped pledge stickers.
• KKH was among 14 organisations recognised with the Best Companies for Mums award on 4 July 2014. Jointly organised by the NTUC Women's Development Secretariat and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices, the award recognises companies that help their employees achieve better work-life harmony.
• KKH is accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) as an Academic Medical Centre (AMC). The AMC accreditation recognises the hospital’s performance in complying with the international healthcare quality standards set by JCI and adherence to internationally benchmarked standards in patient safety and care. It also re-affirms the hospital's commitment to world-class clinical training and research for future clinicians.
• KKH leads the Kids Integrated Development Service (KIDS 0-3) programme, an integrated system of care, with partner AMKFSC Community Services Ltd, to optimise the developmental potential of children from vulnerable families. Supported by Temasek Cares, the pilot programme is expected to reach 300 expectant mothers from diverse backgrounds in Ang Mo Kio over a three-year period, with continued follow-up until their children are three years of age.

2013

• KKH marks its 155th Anniversary in 2013.
• The Dermatology Service opens at KKH, providing comprehensive diagnosis and management of general, severe and complex skin conditions specific to children and women.
• KKH's Respiratory Medicine Service establishes Southeast Asia's first state-of-the-art laboratory for the diagnosis of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) - a genetic disorder that may be the cause of ear, nose, sinus, respiratory and fertility problems in humans. The laboratory provides PCD clinical diagnostic services for both adults and children, as well as establishes data on the incidence and prevalence of this condition in Singapore.
• The newly-expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at KKH features advanced technologies that complement care for vulnerable newborn babies – many of whom are born premature, and can weigh as little as 435 grams at birth. The NICU is self-sufficient with facilities to perform major surgeries and procedures on newborn babies, and has a dedicated neonatal-surgical unit that cares for babies who are recovering from surgeries or have open wounds, such as colostomies or tracheostomies, that require special care. It is the largest NICU in Southeast Asia.
• Our Amazing Quins, written by Mrs Dorothy Chin and co-produced by KKH, is launched in conjunction with the opening of the expanded NICU. The book is a personal account of Mrs Chin’s 16-year journey and experiences with raising Singapore first set of quintuplets, who were born premature.
• KKH Dietitians team up with popular food blogger Ju (The Little Teochew) to create a cookbook for expectant mothers, titled "Good Eats for Mums-to-Be". The cookbook features 35 tasty everyday recipes enhanced to ensure adequate intake of vitamins and nutrition important for expectant mothers.
• The Division of Nursing is conferred the Excellence Award for Innovations in Hospital Management and Governance during the Asian Hospital Management Awards 2013, for their submission titled "KKH Nursing Shared Governance: A Model for Greater Ground Engagement". The submission illustrates how the Nursing Shared Governance Model empowers direct care nurses to be responsible and accountable for processes related to nursing practice.
• KKH successfully achieves re-certifications for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, in recognition of its pursuit for continual improvement in the delivery of patient care.
• KKH launches its Art Therapy programme, with support from The Red Pencil Humanitarian Mission, Singapore. Art therapy uses the visual medium of art and the creative process involved in it to help patients explore, express, understand and manage their inner feelings and emotions better. The programme thus enables children to strengthen their resilience and coping ability, and supports their emotional recovery.
• KKH introduces a multidisciplinary food allergy clinic, managed by experts from the Allergy Service and Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. This one-stop facility enables improved coordination and swifter intervention and management for children with food allergies.

2012

• OBGYN, Surgery and Paediatrics Academic Clinical Programs (ACPs) are ramped up in 2012. ACPs aim to improve patient outcomes through excellence in clinical care, teaching and research.
• The Academic Medicine Research Institute (AMRI@KKH), a joint initiative between KKH, Duke-NUS and SingHealth, is launched to further develop an academic culture for new research discoveries, care innovation and sharing of knowledge that will ultimately lead to improved patient care and outcomes.
• Touch of Hope, a medical documentary series, follows patients through challenges such as severe burns, gestational diabetes, rare diseases and cancer. Viewers see how medical advancements and meticulous care rendered by KKH provide hope for patients and their families.
• A 3Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (3T MRI) machine is provided to KKH as part of a collaboration with A*STAR, making the hospital the first dedicated imaging facility in Singapore for research and clinical work for women and children.
• KKH is honoured at the Asian Hospital Management Awards 2012 in the patient safety category, for a World Health Organisation High 5s Project that enhances patient safety through pre-operative verification, site marking and final time-out for surgical cases done at the Major Operating Theatre.
• The Electroencephalography (EEG) facility at KKH is the first EEG laboratory outside the United States to be accredited by the American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists (ABRET). The accreditation certifies the laboratory's compliance with the standards prescribed by ABRET and the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society (ACNS), the apex body that maintains standards of excellence in cerebral neurophysiology in USA.
• Clinic G opens, offering women and children a holistic and integrated mental wellness facility that brings psychological and psychiatric services together under one roof.

2011

• The KKH Woman&Child HealthPedia iPhone application is launched. The application provides practical information on Women’s and Children’s services, in particular pregnancy health, pregnancy planner and pregnancy calculator features. The application can be downloaded at www.kkh.com.sg or the Apple App store.
• KKH is honoured at the Asian Hospital Management Awards 2011. The prestigious award recognises hospitals in Asia with the best hospital practices.
• KKH achieves re-accreditation with the Joint Commission International (JCI). This accreditation recognises the hospital’s performance in complying with the international healthcare quality standards set by JCI and adherence to internationally benchmarked standards in patient safety and care.
• KKH is awarded the Public Sector Volunteer of the Year Award at The National Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2011. This award recognises best practices in volunteerism or philanthropy in public sector organisations.
• KKH is awarded the inaugural Enabling Employers Award by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS). The award recognises the hospital’s efforts to hire persons with disabilities.

2010

• The opening of the KK Hospital Simulation Centre enhances KKH’s medical training capabilities
• KKH receives re-certification for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 in recognition of its pursuit to attain the best quality care and services that are consistent and continuously improved on.
• KKH receives three awards at the Asian Hospital Management Awards :
  - Excellence Award in Departmental Service Improvement for the "SMS service to patients with 'No evidence of cancer' resulting from mammography and cervical (PAP) smear screening"
  - Excellence Award in Internal Customer Service for the "Development and implementation of Hospital Risk Management System"
  - Excellence Award in Patient Safety Quality Medical Care for "In-patient Children Fall Prevention Measures in KKH".
• KKH CEO, Prof Ivy Ng, was conferred the International Management Action Award by the Chartered Management Institute on 15 Sep 2010. IMAA is an international award that recognises outstanding individuals who have demonstrated exceptional ability in taking management action to achieve sustainable, tangible results for an organisation, society or nation.
• KKH is re-certified as a pro-family organisation and accredited with the Businesses for Family Mark by the Businesses for Families Council (BFC).

2009

• KKH's accreditation with the Joint Commission International (JCI) is renewed in January 2009, reaffirming the hospital's adherence to internationally benchmarked standards in patient safety and care.
• KKH is the first in Asia Pacific to use the next generation digital mammography system, MammoDiagnost DR
• KKH doctors are among the first in the world to perform emergency surgery for removal of cornual ectopic pregnancy through single port laparoscopy
• The KKH Sleep Disorders Centre became the first sleep service in Asia to be accredited by the Thoraic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) and the Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) in managing sleep disorders in children, on 27 February 2009
• KKH successfully rolled out the Closed Loop Medication Management (CLMM) system in July - a more efficient method of prescribing, administering and recording medication, bringing patient safety to a higher level.

2008

• KKH celebrates its 150^th anniversary.
• KKH signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Medical Systems Division of GE Pacific Pte Ltd (GEHC) to train more overseas fellows under the hospital's Obstetric Ultrasound Teaching and Training Programme.

2007

• More new services are introduced. These include an expanded Children's Cancer Centre, Eye Centre, Pain Management Service, Psychosocial Trauma Support Service, Obstetric Ultrasound Teaching and Training Centre, and the Paediatric Simulation Training Centre.
• KKH receives certification for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 in recognition of its pursuit to attain the best quality care and services that are consistent and continuously improved on.
• KKH is the first restructured hospital to be certified Pro-Family Business Mark.

2006

• New services are introduced. They are a Breast Centre, a Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) Centre, Mental Wellness, Sports Medicine, Adolescent Medicine, Women’s Ambulatory Geriatric Service, a Mature Couples’ Clinic, a Musculoskeletal Oncology Service, a Spine Service and a newborn screening service to detect errors of metabolism.
• KKH is the first hospital in Southeast Asia accredited to treat uterine fibroids using non-invasive treatment guided by the latest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• The KK Breast Centre is the first in the world to use the FDA-approved computed radiography technology for mammography combined with computer-aided detection. This detects cancers at the earliest stage, when cure is highly probable.

2005

• KKH achieved the Singapore Quality Class Award. It is conferred by SPRING Singapore to selected organisations, which have demonstrated commitment to business excellence, measured in the following dimensions – Leadership, Planning, Information, People, Process, Customers and Results.
• KKH achieved the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation on 9 December 2005. This accreditation recognises the hospital’s performance in complying with the international healthcare quality standards set by JCI. It demonstrates our strong commitment to patient safety and continuous improvement to our patient care processes and outcomes.

2004

KKH won the Best Work-Life Balance Practices Award at the HRM Singapore Awards. On 20 October, the KK Alumni is established to encourage networking among former and present KKH staff. This is to generate ideas and initiatives in the areas of continuing medical education, training, technology and outreach to the community.

2003

The old Kandang Kerbau Hospital, birthplace of over 1.2 million Singaporeans, is now a historic site marked by the National Heritage Board. This is in recognition of the hospital's contribution to the provision of obstetrical and gynaecological care in Singapore since 1858. The hospital is also re-certified as a People Developer company by SPRING Singapore.

2002

The hospital wins the Family Friendly Firm Award for a second time.

2000

• KKH is awarded the Family Friendly Firm Award by Singapore's Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS). This is for the many work-life initiatives put in place over the years to help staff achieve a balance between work and personal commitments.
• SPRING Singapore (previously the Productivity and Standards Board) awards KKH the coveted People Developer award. The award recognises the hospital's investment in a comprehensive system for developing our people and to bring out the best in them.

1998

The hospital's unique architectural design bags an award at the Singapore Architectural Design Awards for affording both patients and staff an excellent working environment departing from the traditional sterile environments of hospitals.

The nation’s first Child Safety Centre opens. A programme of the hospital, it educates parents on making the home and road environments safer for children to reduce the incidence of childhood injuries.

1997

As a natural extension of the services that KKH was providing for women and their newborns, paediatric services were introduced. The paediatric medical services from three national hospitals were centralised at KKH.

KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) was born. Housed in its new premises at 100 Bukit Timah Road, the hospital included Singapore’s first and only purpose-built Children’s Hospital. The Children’s Hospital, which sees children from birth to 16 years old, is a tertiary referral centre for paediatric bone marrow transplants and open-heart surgeries. It is also a primary paediatric teaching hospital of the National University of Singapore, Faculty of Medicine.

1995

KK launches Asia’s first (and the first outside the USA) O&G World Wide Web information service. It also becomes the first medical institution in Singapore to provide patient and public education in cyberspace.

1992

Construction on a new building for the new hospital began.

1990

On 1 April 1990, KK ended its 132-year history as a government hospital and embarked on a new chapter in its history as a restructured hospital. The O&G and Neonatology Departments from Toa Payoh and Alexandra Hospitals moved to KK.  With optimal consolidation of expertise and resources, three O&G departments were created to focus on subspecialty interests -- Maternal Fetal Medicine, Gynaecological Oncology & Urogynaecology, and Reproductive Medicine.

1985

The hospital’s University Unit moved to the National University Hospital.

Following the success of the nation’s family planning programmes in the 1970s, the total number of births at KKH fell below 30,000 for the first time.

1978

In February, the School of Midwifery at KK Hospital was transferred to the School of Nursing at the Singapore General Hospital, and the school building demolished.

1968

As the number of births started to decrease, the hospital’s Domiciliary Delivery and Domiciliary Aftercare services were no longer needed and stopped.

1966

The number of deliveries continued to rise, reaching a record high of 39,835. This won KK Hospital a place in the Guinness Book of Records for having the largest number of births in a single maternity facility in that year – a record it held for ten years. More than 85% of all the births took place in KK, where over 100 babies were delivered daily.

1965

A Blood Transfusion Service branch in the hospital was opened and a Cytology Unit was set up. Antenatal classes were also started by the Physiotherapy Department.

1963

As a result of the reorganisation, posts in the Training Units were recognised by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).

1962

All the hospital’s wards, two operating theatres for gynaecology, two theatres for obstetrics and two minor operating theatres were opened. The hospital was reorganised into three training units – University Unit, and Training Units A and B. Under this new structure, the three units concentrated on complicated cases and the training of doctors, while the Maternity Home Unit undertook the bulk of routine delivery.

1961

The bed capacity was increased to 438 beds.

1958

To meet the needs of newborns, nurseries were equipped for specialised care for the sick and premature babies. Incubators were used for the first time in the premature baby nurseries. This helped to lower the infant mortality.

1955

In August, the Domiciliary Delivery service was introduced. Women who had received antenatal care at the hospital were given the option of hospital delivery or home delivery, after assessment of the suitability of their homes for delivery. In September, the service saw the delivery of its first baby. A new extension to the building was also added. This saw an increase in beds, new operating theatres, an X-ray department and clinics for women and children.

1954

To cope with the high demand for beds, the Domiciliary Aftercare service was started. It looked after women who had been discharged 24 hours after confinement. The patients were carefully selected and if their homes were found suitable, they were brought home by ambulance. Midwives would visit them at home and report any abnormality to the hospital for follow-up action. Each day, about 20 – 30 women were discharged to be cared for by this service.

1952

The School of Midwifery was set up.

1950

In the post war years, births averaged over 1,000 a month (13,238 for the year) in the 240-bed hospital. The labour wards were so overcrowded that patients were delivered on trolley beds. To ease the shortage of beds, the length of stay of each patient was shortened from 10 – 12 days to three days.

1946

After the war was over, KK remained as the Civil General Hospital until 1 July 1946. It then resumed its function as the only O&G hospital serving the country.

1942

During World War II, KK was converted into an Emergency General Hospital for the treatment of war casualties. It became known as Chua Byoin (Central Hospital) during the Japanese Occupation, and served as a General Hospital for Japanese civilians and the local community. The late Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares, who became Singapore’s Second President in 1971, was its Deputy Medical Superintendent then.

1938

Half of the 11,206 babies born in Singapore were delivered at KK.

1924

The Pauper Hospital for Women and Children was converted into a free maternity hospital – a hospital for the poor who could not afford to pay the medical fees. On 1 October 1924, Kandang Kerbau Hospital (KK Hospital) was opened with 30 beds and 12 children’s cots. The hospital was led by Professor J S English, Singapore’s first Professor of O&G. On that momentous day, five babies were born – three Malays, one Chinese and a Japanese. In those days, maternal and infant mortality rates were high. The hospital’s mission then was to provide good maternity care and midwifery training for medical students and pupil midwives to bring the mortality rates down.

1905

Female pauper patients from Tan Tock Seng Hospital were transferred to the General Hospital at Kandang Kerbau District. Subsequently, the hospital was also used to house female lepers and poor children. It eventually became the Pauper Hospital for Women and Children.

1888

With a change in the law, compulsory screening and treatment were stopped. The facilities at the Lock Hospital were then used as a home for women and girls.

1872

In an attempt to control the spread of venereal disease, the female ward of the hospital was converted into a Lock Hospital, for compulsory screening and treatment of women with venereal diseases.

1858

Back in the colonial days, a General Hospital was built in the Kandang Kerbau District. It was segregated into two sections – one section for the Europeans (the Seaman’s Hospital) and the other for the locals (the Police Hospital).