Interviewed by Ms Lim Biyu, Core Team Member of CHI FLYING; Management Fellow, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
Professor Yik Ying Teo is Dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and Vice President (Global Health) at the National University of Singapore and is part of the CHI Leadership Council. Trained as a mathematician and statistician, he now works across infectious disease, chronic illness, ageing and health systems.
What drew you into health?
I began as a mathematician and statistician working on malaria genetics in Africa and Latin America. When I returned to Singapore in 2010, I saw how numbers could reveal both the scale of public health problems and the shape of possible solutions. That was very motivating.
I now see my main task as bringing together different disciplines. No single profession can solve issues like diabetes, cancer or ageing. We need statisticians, epidemiologists, clinicians, economists and social scientists around the same table, and leadership that takes that broad view.
What key leadership messages would you share?
Globally, demographic change is driving a quiet crisis. Populations are ageing, birth rates are falling and people are living longer with chronic illness. That creates a triple problem: fewer workers to provide care, a shrinking tax base to fund care, and rising disease burden.
Short term political thinking is dangerous in that context. These are long term problems that need long term planning.
Humility is vital. Many health challenges are rooted in social and demographic factors, not just biology. It is no longer enough to approach them purely as medical or technical questions. We need genuine multidisciplinary work and leaders who are comfortable sharing power with other disciplines.
How did COVID 19 change your view of leadership?
COVID 19 reminded the world that public health exists. For years, people took it for granted. They did not notice vaccination programmes, tobacco control or environmental protections until something failed.
The pandemic showed, in real time, that health and the economy are inseparable. Countries that neglected prevention and preparedness suffered far greater economic damage.
You might expect that lesson to stick. Sadly, as the crisis fades many politicians are returning to short term agendas, and there are even threats to funding for global health institutions. That is worrying.
For public health, it means we can no longer work quietly in the background. We must communicate better with the public and with policymakers, explain risks clearly and keep public health on the political agenda.
What past experiences shape your leadership?
My training as a mathematician and statistician is central. I start from the data, not the disease label. HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes and cancer are different outcomes of underlying systems and behaviours.
Data forces you to respect context. An approach that works in one country may fail in another, even with the same disease. Numbers often show that clearly. That has taught me not to assume that a good idea elsewhere will automatically transfer. You must understand the local reality first.
What are your biggest current challenges?
The core challenge is influencing behaviour at both individual and political levels.
At the individual level, it is about helping people to stop smoking, avoid vaping, eat well, sleep better and protect their mental health. Evidence alone does not change behaviour.
At the policy level, it is about persuading governments and funders to invest in primary care, prevention and health promotion, even when results may take decades. Increasingly, policy is driven by visibility and popularity rather than evidence. That is a serious risk for population health.
Are you seeing behaviours that encourage you?
Yes. I work with colleagues who remain deeply committed to service, both locally and globally.
In Thailand, for example, some senior doctors could earn far more in private practice, yet choose to stay in roles that support village health workers and community health. Internationally, there are people who take on very difficult and unpopular jobs in order to push for change. Those examples are very encouraging.
How do you maintain kindness and compassion?
For me, kindness and compassion are basic human qualities, not leadership traits. I try to treat people as I would like to be treated. It sounds simple, but it is not always easy.
A guiding philosophy from my Chinese education helps. First, cultivate yourself. Then care for your family. Only then focus on society and the world. I try to live that. I make time for my family and focus on guiding my children well. If I cannot live my values at home, I have no right to preach them at work.
What practices do you recommend for inspiration and support?
I do not read many leadership or self-help books. I read fiction to escape.
What I strongly recommend is time in nature. Walk by the sea, around a reservoir or up a hill. It does not have to be an expedition. Even a short walk can reset your perspective. If you feel stuck, go for a walk. When you return, your problems may look different.
Final message for people passionate about improving health?
Passion is important, but humility is more important.
No matter how strong your motivation, you will not solve complex public health problems alone. The real question is whether you can bring together people with the right expertise, influence and skills and help them work well together.
If you want to improve health, think less about being the hero and more about being the convenor. Meaningful change will always be a collective effort.
This blog is coordinated and contributed by the Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Singapore
Leading Across the Commonwealth and Beyond captures vital conversations between global health leaders and emerging voices. In this blog, we explore how to redefine how we lead with compassion, connectivity, and courage in an increasingly complex world.
Declaration of Interests
No conflicts of interest to disclose