Kenneth Mak
Associate Professor Kenneth Mak Seck Wai is Senior Consultant in General Surgery in Singapore. He is also Director of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health (MOH), a role which he has held since February 2020.
Background
Education
A/Prof Kenneth Mak holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Singapore, as well as a Master in Medicine.[1] He is also a fellow of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in Edinburgh and Glasgow and International College of Surgeons.
In 1997, he graduated from the SAF National Service Officers’ Staff Course as the top student.[2]
Professional Career
After graduating from medical school, A/Prof Mak started his professional career as a trainee at the National University Hospital, where he spent 13 years before moving to Alexandra Hospital to head the Department of Surgery.[3] He subsequently headed Khoo Teck Puat Hospital’s Department of Surgery.
He is trained as a general surgeon with subspecialty interests in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, as well as in trauma surgery.[4] Notwithstanding his other appointments, he maintains his clinical appointments as a Senior Consultant surgeon in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital’s Department of General Surgery.
In 2016, he was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) (Military), in his role in the SAF as Commander of the 22nd Logistics Support Group.[5]
Chairman of Medical Board, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
A/Prof Kenneth Mak was appointed Chairman of Medical Board at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in June 2011, a role which he held for four years until December 2015.[6]
Deputy Director of Medical Services at MOH
A/Prof Kenneth Mak was appointed Deputy Director of Medical Services at MOH in 2015. In the role, he oversaw the provision of health services in the primary care, community care and hospital settings, including mental health services.[7] He also co-led the Corporate Planning Team within MOH in 2015, looking at transforming the models of healthcare in Singapore, and Singapore’s long-term healthcare care model transformation strategy. He also led the Diabetes Program Office within MOH, which supports Singapore’s national efforts to control diabetes. He relinquished the appointment at the end of 2019.
Director of Medical Services at MOH
In December 2019, it was announced that A/Prof Kenneth Mak would be taking over A/Prof Benjamin Ong as Director of Medical Services (DMS) of the Ministry of Health, on 1 February 2020.[8] As DMS, he has been involved heavily in Singapore’s Multi-Ministry Taskforce set up to combat COVID-19, advising the taskforce on participating in the various press conferences
Other involvements
MINDEF Volunteer Board
Since 2011, A/Prof Kenneth Mak, as COL (NS) (Dr) Kenneth Mak has been serving as a volunteer in the SAF Emergency Medicine Specialist Advisory Board.[9] In the role, he plays advisor to the SAF on peacetime medical support protocols and policies, to help MINDEF and the SAF benchmark their healthcare services against those of public medical centres.[10]
National Day Parade 2016
In 2016, COL (NS) (Dr) Kenneth Mak was appointed co-chairman of the medical committee for NDP 2016, while he was Deputy Director of Medical Services at MOH.[11] His position as co-chairman saw him responsible for coordinating the various resources and personnel involved in the medical services for the parade.[12]
Personal Life
In an interview, A/Prof Kenneth Mak indicated that he is a fan of Japanese food as well as anything soupy like Chicken Soup, due to his Cantonese heritage.[13]
References / Citations
- ↑ Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. “Medical Team Profile - General Surgery, Associate Professor Kenneth Mak Seck Wai”. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Accessed 26 March 2022.
- ↑ National Archives of Singapore. “NS Officers Ready For Higher Command and Staff Appointments”. National Archives of Singapore. November 25, 1997. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ Singapore Medical Association. “Shepherding the Future – An Interview with DMS A/Prof Kenneth Mak”. Singapore Medical Association. Accessed 26 March 2022.
- ↑ Nanyang Technological University. “Singapore Researchers Global Summit 2021 Speaker Profile”. Nanyang Technological University. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore. “Public Administration Medal (Bronze) (Military) Recipients”. Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore. Accessed 26 March 2022.
- ↑ Tatler Asia. “Profile - Kenneth Mak”. Tatler Asia. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ National University of Singapore. “Plenary Speaker Profile - 16th Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference”. National University of Singapore. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ Ministry of Health. “New Director of Medical Services in Ministry of Health”. Ministry of Health. December 5, 2019. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ Jian Xuan, Lee. “SAF set for first volunteer corps in March”. The Straits Times. August 15, 2014. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ Ministry of Defence, Singapore. “MINDEF Volunteers' Dinner 2017”. Facebook. August 3, 2017. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ Chiu, Kimberley. “Record number of NSmen on NDP 2016 executive committee”. The New Paper Online. June 22, 2016. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ Juanda, Iliyas. “NSmen draw on civilian experience to ‘soften edges’ in NDP Exco roles”. Today Online. June 22, 2016. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ Singapore Medical Association. “Shepherding the Future – An Interview with DMS A/Prof Kenneth Mak”. Singapore Medical Association. Accessed 26 March 2022.