Public Health

Vectors such as mosquitoes and rats can transmit diseases. Effectively controlling vector populations, especially mosquitoes, is a key strategy to safeguard Singaporeans from potential public health threats such as dengue and other vector-borne diseases.

To safeguard the well-being of Singaporeans, we employ various ways to monitor and control vector-borne diseases. This includes regular surveillance as well as conducting research to study vector-borne diseases and explore better ways to control them.

Ensuring clean public spaces is important to prevent the spread of diseases and safeguard the overall well-being of the community. Upholding high standards of public cleanliness and hygiene, contributes towards strengthening our resilience against public health threats in the long term.

To achieve high public health standards, we aim to foster a sense of community ownership for public health. The involvement of the wider community and the private sector plays a pivotal role in safeguarding our public health as we move towards increased self-regulation. Efforts at both the individual and collective level are necessary to mitigate public health risks attributed to vectors, second-hand tobacco smoke, and poor cleanliness in public spaces.

The female Aedes aegypti mosquito is the primary vector of dengue in Singapore. When an Aedes mosquito bites an infected person, it can pick up the virus and pass it to the next person it bites.

The more severe forms of dengue can be fatal if not treated.

The Aedes mosquito breeds in stagnant water in man-made habitats. These can be easily found in our environment – such as pails and containers in our homes, tree holes and outdoor drains. Our tropical climate is also conducive to the maturation of the mosquito.

The Disease Is Constantly Among Us

Dengue is endemic in Singapore and the region. This means that the disease is always present, even if it is not always at high levels. To prevent disease transmission, it is important for us to keep mosquito numbers as low as possible at all times.

NEA is the lead agency that tackles the dengue problem in Singapore. The Ministry coordinates broader efforts across government agencies to stop the spread of dengue fever.

Surveillance and Control

To pre-emptively remove potential breeding spots, NEA officers visit premises to conduct regular inspections which are guided by surveillance data of the mosquito population from NEA’s Gravitrap network. NEA also carries out virus surveillance on patient blood samples submitted by healthcare providers, to track the different variations of the dengue virus circulating in the community.

Developing New Tools - Project Wolbachia

As part of research and to complement existing mosquito control efforts, NEA has been releasing male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes in certain housing estates of Singapore. These male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes then mate with wild-type female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to produce eggs which do not hatch, thus helping to suppress the Aedes aegypti population and reduce the risk of dengue transmission. Project Wolbachia is intended to complement, and not replace good housekeeping and basic preventive actions that prevent mosquito breeding. Source reduction remains the key strategy to control the populations of all types of mosquitoes.

Engaging The Community

NEA also engages and educates the community on the need to prevent mosquito breeding. The community can view the map and receive alerts on areas with high Aedes aegypti mosquito populations through the myENV app. Residents living in areas with relatively higher Aedes aegypti mosquito populations are also urged to help reduce the mosquito population by regularly practising the Mozzie Wipeout 'B-L-O-C-K' steps.

The community can also find out more information on how to prevent Aedes mosquito breeding at the National Environment Agency (NEA)'s dengue webpage.

Pests that can carry diseases are also referred to as vectors. Besides mosquitoes, rats are another example of vectors. Given Singapore’s high population density, any outbreak of vector-borne diseases is likely to spread rapidly. It is therefore important to monitor the vector population to ensure that vector-borne diseases here are kept under control.

Tougher, Adaptable Agents Of Disease

Due to the loss of their original habitats from rapid urbanisation, these vectors have quickly adopted alternative breeding grounds in built-up areas. Coupled with increased resistance to pesticides, it is almost impossible to get rid of vectors completely.

New Vector-Borne Diseases

Air travel means that new vector-borne diseases can spread to Singapore through visiting travellers or returning locals.

Favourable Climate For Breeding

With climate change, increases in temperature and rainfall are expected. This may result in vectors thriving in new locations and maturing faster.

Surveillance And Control

NEA maintains a close watch on the rat population to keep it under control. Since 01 June 2011, NEA's vector control technicians (VCTs) conduct systematic inspections of both HDB and non-HDB estates island-wide as part of a dedicated rat surveillance and control team under NEA. Surveillance technology involving sensor networks has also been deployed at hawker centres and markets managed by NEA to detect rat activity more efficiently.

Monitoring Vector-borne Diseases

While we cannot get rid of vectors such as mosquitoes completely, we have successfully kept outbreaks of diseases at bay.

Since its set up in 2002, NEA’s Environmental Health Institute (EHI) has been conducting research, surveillance and risk assessments on vector-borne diseases such as Zika, Chikungunya and Malaria. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of such diseases is important as it helps to minimise the chances of transmission.

Smoking harms the health of the smoker. Not only that, people exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke in public places are also at risk of the ill effects of smoking.

There are at least 60 cancer-causing chemicals in second-hand smoke. Non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke face higher risks of lung cancer, respiratory tract infections, heart disease as well as eye, nose and throat irritations.

Studies have also shown that pregnant women exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to have miscarriages or stillbirths.

The prevalence of daily smoking has decreased over the years and although only about 9% of Singaporean adults are smokers, anyone in a public space with smokers can be affected by the effects of smoking.

The Ministry takes measures to protect the health of non-smokers through the smoking prohibition act.

Besides having laws in place, smokers must also take responsibility for their own actions and be considerate towards others.

Greater Enforcement of Ban

NEA has stepped up its efforts to enforce the smoking ban by conducting daily patrols of various places, including 24-hour food and entertainment outlets. Members of the public can also report smoking violations via NEA's myENV mobile application, or Online Feedback Form.

Extending The Smoking Ban To More Areas

Efforts to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke began in 1970 when smoking was banned in cinemas, theatres and on omnibuses. Since then, the ban has been extended to more than 49,000 premises, particularly those where it is harder for non-smokers to avoid second- hand smoke. MSE and NEA will continue to consider further extensions of the smoking prohibition from time to time.

Maintaining public cleanliness and public hygiene is important in mitigating the transmission of infectious diseases and allows users of the public spaces to enjoy a cleaner and more liveable environment. To underscore this, 2024 has been designated as the Year of Public Hygiene.

Singapore has a reputation for being a clean and green city. Based on cleanliness surveys, most Singaporeans perceive that our public spaces are clean as well. However, there persists a minority of the population which continue to be inconsiderate and litter public spaces. The Ministry and NEA keep Singapore clean through cleaning of public areas, enforcement and public education.

Cleaning Public Spaces

NEA oversees the cleaning of public spaces such as roads, pavements, and certain private estates and public areas in Singapore.

Tackling Litterbugs

NEA takes strict enforcement action against litterbugs. To strengthen the deterrent effect against littering, the maximum court penalties for littering offences were doubled in 2014 from $1,000, $2,000 and $5,000 for the first, second, and third or subsequent conviction, to $2,000, $4,000 and $10,000 respectively. Recalcitrant offenders prosecuted in court may also be required to perform Corrective Work Order (CWO). The composition sum for the first littering offence was also raised from $200 to $300 in 2014.

In September 2021, NEA commenced enforcement against table littering, which established new social norms where most Singaporeans return their used trays/crockery and litter after dining at community dining places such as hawker centres and coffeeshops.

On 1 July 2023, NEA introduced a statutory presumption provision for littering from residential flats, placing greater onus on registered flat owners/tenants to prevent high-rise littering from their flats.

Fostering Social Responsiblity

To ensure that we live in a clean and liveable environment, it is important for all Singaporeans to play our part to uphold high standards of public cleanliness and hygiene. The Ministry and NEA organise public education campaigns and supports ground-up initiatives with related partners to promote greater awareness and foster a sense of personal and shared social responsibility among the community. These include campaigns such as the Keep Singapore Clean Campaign, and Clean Public Toilets Campaign, amongst others.