Clin Prof Thoon Koh Cheng

Dr Thoon Koh Cheng obtained his postgraduate Specialist Paediatrics qualifications from RCPCH as well as NUS in 2004. He trained in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in 2007, and was appointed as Head of Infectious Disease Service at KKH from June 2010 to May 2022. He is also a Clinical Professor at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, an Adjunct Associate Professor at the YLL School of Medicine, NUS, and the LKC School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University.

He is currently Chairman of the Division of Medicine, Chairman of the Hospital Infection Control Committee, and Academic Chair in KKH. He is also the current Chairman of the National Verification Committee for Measles Elimination, and was previous Chairman of the National Paediatrics ICU-ID Subcommittee, Vice-Chairperson of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Control Committee in the Ministry of Health (MOH), Chairman of the Singhealth Hand Hygiene Event Committee, and also previous Head of Infectious Disease Service and Director (MOH designate) of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at KKH. In addition, he sits as a Member on multiple Departmental and Hospital committees including the Medical Board and Senior Management Committees, as well as Singhealth and MOH Committees including the Expert Committee on Immunisation. He was instrumental in developing the KKH Infectious Disease System, the KKH Vaccine Pocketbook (and subsequently the Vaccine Calculator and eBook App), and piloted the 1st National Inpatient Active Vaccine Safety surveillance in collaboration with Health Science Authority (HSA).

In 2018, he was awarded the Public Sector Transformation Star Service Individual Award by the Singapore Civil Service for championing the prevention and therapy of childhood infectious diseases, and in 2024, the Singhealth Excellence Awards for Distinguished Champion of Change Leader.

He has authored or co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed articles, letters, editorials, books and book chapters, and his research interests include epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases (particularly invasive pneumococcal and Haemophilus influenzae disease) and respiratory viral diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, infection control, adverse events following immunization, mycobacterial infections (including TB and NTM), severe invasive bacterial and viral diseases, HIV and dengue.

• MRCPCH (Singapore) 2004
• MMED Paediatrics (Singapore) 2003
• MBBS (The University of Melbourne) 1998

• Adjunct Associate Professor, YLL-NUS School of Medicine
• Adjunct Associate Professor, Duke-NUS Graduate School of Medicine
• Adjunct Associate Professor, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine
• Chairman, SingHealth Hand Hygiene Workgroup, 2017 – Present
• Member, National Outbreak Response Team (MOH), 2016 – Present
• Chairman, Hospital Infection Control Committee, 2014 – Present
• Chairman, National Verification Committee for Measles Elimination (MOH), 2014 – Present
• Vice-Chairperson, National Antimicrobial Resistance Control Committee (MOH), 2014 – Present
• Member, Medical Board, 2014 – Present
• JCI Lead, Prevention and Control of Infections, 2013 – Present
• Member, SingHealth Infection Control & Prevention Workgroup, 2013 – Present
• Member, SAF Expert Committee on Immunisation, 2013 – Present
• Fellow, Academy of Medicine (Singapore), 2012 – Present
• Member, Expert Committee on Immunisation (MOH), 2010 – Present
• Member, Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, 2009 – Present

• SingHealth SPREE You Shine Award, 2017
• Wong Hock Boon Society- SMA Charity Fund Outstanding Mentor Award, 2016
• Singapore Health Quality Service Award (Silver), 2016
• SingHealth Publish! Award (Medical Research), 2015
• Dean’s Special Recognition Award & Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence (YLL-SoM, NUS), 2015
• Excellent Team Player Award for Protection of Public Health & Safety (HSA), 2013
• Outstanding Poster Award (KK ASM), 2013
• National Innovation Quality Circle (NIQC) Award (Gold), 2011
• HMDP (Human Manpower Development Program) Award; 2007

• Epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases (particularly invasive pneumococcal and Haemophilus influenzae disease)
• Respiratory viral diseases
• Antimicrobial stewardship
• Adverse events following immunization
• Infection control
• Mycobacterial infections (including TB and NTM)
• Severe invasive bacterial and viral diseases

• Antimicrobial Stewardship Program bridging Grant (MOH), 2016-2018
• Adenoviral Respiratory Infections in Singapore: Identifying Predictors for Virulence, 2015-2016
• Severe Illnesses and Deaths Possibly of Infectious Causes (SIDPIC) Program (MOH), 2012-2018
• HSA-KKH Inpatient Surveillance of Post-Immunization Reactions (INSPIRE) Program (HSA, MOH), 2009-2020
• National Antimicrobial Taskforce, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Grant (MOH), 2011-2015\
• KKH Vaccine ebook and Childhood Vaccine Calculator, 2011-2012

• Risk factors of ICU or high dependency requirements amongst hospitalized pediatric pertussis cases: A 10 year retrospective series, Singapore. Chong CY, Yung CF, Tan NWH, Acharyya S, Thoon KC. Vaccine 2017;35:6422-6428
• Outbreak of Zika virus infection in Singapore: an epidemiological, entomological, virological, and clinical analysis. The Singapore Zika Study Group. Lancet Infect Dis 2017. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30249-9
• Enhancing global vaccine pharmacovigilance: Proof-of-concept study on aseptic meningitis and immune thrombocytopenic purpura following MMR. Perez-Vilar S, Weibel D, Sturkenboom M, Black S, Maure C, Castro JL, Bravo-Alcantara P, Dodd CN, Romio SA, de Ridder M, Nakato S, Molina-Leon HF, Elango V, Zuber PLF, the WHO Global Vaccine Safety-Multi Country Collaboration. Vaccine 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.05.012
• Characteristics of Zika virus disease in children: Clinical, hematological and virological findings from an outbreak in Singapore. Li JH, Chong CY, Tan NWH, Yung CF, Tee NWS, Thoon KC. Clin Infect Dis 2017. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix137
• Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Singapore: Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Singapore (CaPES) study. Marimuthu K, Indumathi V, Khong WX, Koh TH, Cheng B, La MV, De PP, Krishnan PU, Tan TY, Fong R, Pada SK, Chong WL, Ooi ST, Deepak RN, Smitasin N, Tan EL, Lee JJ, Kurup A, Young B, Tee NWS, Thoon KC, Fisher D, Ling ML, Ang B, Teo YY, Hsu LY, Lin RTP, Ong RTH, Teo J, Ng OT, for the CAPeS Study Group. Clin Infect Dis 2017;64(S2):S68-75
• Renal toxicity presenting with fracture in a HIV positive adolescent. Wee JLY, Thoon KC, Chao SM. J Pediatr Infect Dis 2017. Doi: 10.1055/s-0037-1603529
• Guillain-Barré syndrome and Zika virus: Estimating attributable risk to inform intensive care capacity preparedness. Yung CF, Thoon KC. Clin Infect Diseases 2016. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciw355
• Zika virus and microcephaly: Case ascertainment and quantifying risk. Yung CF, Yeo KT, Yeo GSH, Thoon KC. BMJ 2016;352:i781
• Zika Virus: An evolving public health threat. Yung CF, Chong CY, Yeo KT, Liew C, Ng IC, Tan NWH, Yeo GSH, Tee NWS, Lin RTP, Tan TC, Rajadurai VS, Chan JKY, Thoon KC. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2016;45:148-151
• Serological responses following hepatitis B vaccination in preterm infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen positive mothers: Singapore experience. Tan CXT, Chan SM, Lee LY, Ong C, Phua KB, Aw MM, Saw S, Lee GH, Wong F, Thoon KC. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2017. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000001578
• Bioaerosol Sampling in Clinical Settings: A Promising, Non-invasive Approach for Detecting Respiratory Viruses. Nguyen TT, Poh MK, Low J, Kalimuddin S, Thoon KC, Anderson BD, Gray GC. Open Forum Infect Dis 2016. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofw259
• Risk Factors and Clinical Profile of Measles Infection in Children in Singapore. Vemula VN, Li L, Thoon KC, Chong CY, Tee NWS, Maiwald M, Tan NWH. Infection, Disease & Health 2016;21:192-196