HPB Voices Reloaded
Jan - Feb 2008
Read: Mr Richard Lim | Ms Low Sau Chan |
An exclusive interview with Richard Lim, the man and his thoughts!
- By Grace Seah
Richard Lim, DD Health Information is retiring on 31 Mar 2008. Voices spoke to Richard about his work past and present, and what plans he has for the future.
How long have you been in Health Education? I understand you were actually doing Physiology.
Yes, I majored in Physiology at Monash University, then a postgraduate degree in Education and taught in Melbourne before returning home. I received a WHO fellowship to University of North Carolina for the MPH (in health education). It came along nicely, and I was soon on the road to a career in health education since the mid 70s.
You often say Health Education and Health Promotion are different. What is the difference?
Prior to the mid 80s, “health education” was the common term. After that, “health promotion” was more commonly used as it embraced both educational and environmental support for interventions. Health education practitioners would recognise the distinction!
Healthy lifestyle changes can be facilitated through a combination of enhancing awareness, providing the skills to change behaviour, and creating environments that support (or influence) the desired health practices. Intervention at the supportive environment is more akin to health promotion. It has the greatest impact in producing lasting change. Health education seeks to impart the skills and raise awareness of the health issue and how the behaviour affects people. Both need to work together and complement each other.
You mentioned that you were also involved in Health Promotion in the Ministry of the Environment before joining the then Training & Health Education Department. What was the most interesting event you participated in?
In fact, I was one of three “health education officers” (equivalent to “Senior Execs” now) who worked in the then “Training & Health Education Department” (THE) of MOH, before going to the Ministry of the Environment. We had simple wooden desks (but strong! because the files were thick and heavy) and ceiling fans in a small colonial bungalow near the medical alumni. No computers then. It was a far cry from this HPB building. In THE, I remembered the days of mass health exhibitions at large halls such as the former World Trade Centre (now Vivo City). The one at NTUC conference hall was the most memorable. People crowded the place to view an explicit STD exhibition. AIDS was not heard of yet. The queue spilled out onto Shenton Way. Some people fainted! It was frightening for us manning the exhibition.
Later, I moved to the then Ministry of the Environment (known as ENV for short, but all the vendors and contractors insisted on calling it “MOE”) to head a department on environmental education and training of public health inspectors, and later, public affairs . Anti-littering and dengue education was really challenging...and never ending. However, I remembered best the project to clean up the Singapore River. It was a gigantic effort of the whole ENV team, and involved various organisations and Ministries working together all over the island – not just the river itself. You now have the modern day Boat Quay and Clarke Quay and a healthy city! You can now sit back, and sip your Chardonnay without the bouquet of the river!
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received from someone?
You must have a sense of mission to be in health promotion. Know why you are doing it, and do the best you can.
Any regrets in your career?
Health promotion can be a fulfilling career. I believe it has done a lot for people in Singapore. You may not always see the results immediately.
Your favourite sport is golf. Tell us in one sentence what can golf do for your physical and mental wellbeing?
Golf was not one of my favourite games until I took it up. Then it became “addictive”. I used to play badminton for many years, also squash, tennis, bowling and table tennis. I tried Dragon Boat with the HPB team but I think we didn’t do so well last March.
With golf, it is physically demanding if you count the range practices, gym, cycling or walking to develop strength. More important is your core strength. It is also very much a mental game: you always strive to do better. You have yourself to beat. If a bad shot upsets me, it affects the next. You need to stay focused, plan your strategy for the next hole, and to decide on risks (ending in the “hazards” if not). Every course and situation is different. Sounds like business management? Oh, it can be fun and relaxing too - to walk with friends among beautiful greenery. Sorry, if you start asking about golf, I cannot do it in one sentence!
Name a pet peeve you have.
Can’t really think of one that’s a pet. But, there are lots of pests on the road that affect my blood pressure. There are “snakes” which weave around, and annoying “mosquitoes”. I could also add the “hogs”, but you get the picture.
What is your idea of a dream vacation?
Somewhere to really relax mentally, absorb the culture, meet people. I enjoy the food from different countries...always looking for what the locals eat. Definitely not the “five-countries-in-one-day” type group tour.
What will you be doing after your retirement?
Catch up on the personal things to organise my life and generally catch up with friends, photography and travels. Perhaps, writing, and see what I shall do to improve people’s health. And, of course, bring along a bottle of good sunblock.