The Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health launched two new modelling centres on Friday 27 February. The Centre for Epidemic Research and Modelling (CERM) emerged from the crucible of COVID-19, when its founding faculty members developed epidemiological models to inform the response to the pandemic. CERM was launched alongside its sister centre, the Centre for Population Health Risk and Systems Modelling (PHRISM), which was created in response to the need of the health system to adapt to an ageing population and rising healthcare costs.
The two centres were formally opened by Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, and Ministry of Health, who shared in his opening address the importance that MOH places on modelling to better inform their policy decisions. The opening ceremony was also graced by Professors Tan Eng Chye, President of NUS; and Teo Yik Ying, Dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health; Mayfong Mayxay, President of the University of Health Sciences in Lao PDR; Vernon Lee, Chief Executive of the Communicable Diseases Agency, and other luminaries.
The two centre directors, Associate Professors Hannah Clapham (of CERM) and Alec Morton (of PHRISM), after unveiling the centre plaques with Minister Tan, shared the evolution of their centres and their future plans.