The International Allied Health Conference (IAHC 2024), which was held in conjunction with the third Singapore Allied Health Conference on 1 November 2024, brought together about 1,100 global Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and students from over 18 countries to foster collaboration and innovation. The event was graced by Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for Health. Singapore hosts landmark event uniting over 1,100 Allied Health Professionals and students from around the world.
Organised by the National University Health System (NUHS), in partnership with SingHealth and the National Healthcare Group (NHG), the conference aims to unite the international Allied Health community, highlight the collective efforts to advance healthcare, promote professional development across the care continuum, and amplify the impact of AHPs. In addition, it is also focused on igniting conversations to advance the future of the profession.
The conference theme, “Advancing Allied Health: Diverse in Calling, United in Purpose,” emphasises the shared mission of healthcare professionals from diverse specialties, including physiotherapists, dietitians, audiologists, and radiographers, to enhance patient care worldwide.
One of the key highlights of IAHC 2024 was the launch of the Global Allied Health Network (GAHN), with a leadership summit to formalise a strategic collaboration that will see engagements with key stakeholder organisations, including the World Health Organization, to bolster the role of AHPs in world health programmes. GAHN, comprising AHP leaders from Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, will enable practitioners to strengthen their collective impact on healthcare delivery.
Across all three public healthcare clusters in Singapore, AHPs have been empowering patients to lead healthier lives through impactful initiatives. To address the current and future healthcare challenges due to population demographic changes, AHPs have been adopting strategies, including leveraging technology (e.g. using robotic process automation to optimise resources and productivity, 3D printing of devices and mobile applications to promote remote assessment and patient education) and developing programmes to promote and enhance the healthcare delivery in the community (e.g. EatSafe SG, Bukit Batok Township Model of Care, and extending audiology services from hospitals into the community).
Adjunct Associate Professor Michael Ong, Group Director of Allied Health at NUHS and Convenor of the conference, said, “NUHS is privileged to lead the planning of IAHC to bring the international Allied Health community together and harness our collective strengths and insights on a global scale. The theme was purposefully crafted to encompass the wide range of AHPs practising across various touchpoints in the care continuum, regardless of their location and specialty. Despite the diverse Allied Health professions and the recognition of AHPs in the respective jurisdictions, AHPs remain united in their purpose, playing crucial roles in today’s multidisciplinary teams and delivering care to our patients and clients.”
Adjunct Associate Professor Tan Bee Yee, Group Chief Allied Health Professional, SingHealth and Co-organiser of the conference, said, “SingHealth is honoured to partner with NUHS and NHG to organise IAHC. Through key platforms like the IAHC, we are able to tap on the collective wisdom and experience of our AHPs and exchange best practices that can enable us to raise the bar of excellence and drive more impactful healthcare outcomes. I am also heartened by the tremendous support and partnership of our cluster colleagues in organising this year’s conference and I look forward to learning from the robust dialogues of our participants, their aspirations in advancing practice and research to ultimately, improve patient care, globally.”
Adjunct Professor Susan Niam, Group Chief Allied Health, NHG, who is also the Chief Allied Health Officer, Ministry of Health (MOH), Singapore, said, “AHPs are well-positioned to recognise and develop connections, flows, and relationships surrounding end-to-end patient care, address the social determinants of health, and focus on preventive care, to enable the population to manage their health and receive care and support within the community where they live or work. As such, we envision allied health services influencing this primary and community care space to support preventive care as well as chronic disease management. We are glad to be a key partner for this year’s IAHC, which has been pivotal in allowing the AHPs of all three clusters to learn from each other and enhance their capabilities, to better meet the needs of the population that we serve.”
Adjunct Associate Professor Camilla Wong, Director of Allied Health, Sengkang General Hospital, and Chief Pharmacist, MOH, said, “The IAHC covers crucial topics in today’s rapidly changing healthcare landscape and our AHPs can look forward to the engaging discussions with leading experts across diverse fields, gaining fresh perspectives and key takeaways.”
