MEDIA RELEASE

CAAS AND CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP TO ENHANCE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SUPPORT IN AVIATION SECTOR

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi General Hospital (CGH) have signed a Collaboration Agreement to work together to provide better mental health and wellness support to aviation professionals as operational tempos and pressures increase with air traffic exceeding pre-pandemic levels and hitting new record levels. These aviation professionals include pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance crew, ground handlers and other support staff, many of whom perform safety critical functions and play an important role in ensuring the safe, efficient and smooth operations of the Singapore air hub. The Collaboration Agreement was signed by the Director-General of CAAS Mr Han Kok Juan and the Chief Executive Officer of CGH, Clinical Professor Ng Kee Chong on 1 July 2025.
 

Under this Agreement, CAAS and CGH will bring together their deep industry knowledge and clinical expertise to co-develop specialised resources to provide aviation professionals with better mental health and wellness support. These include:

1. Development of customised peer support training programmes, setting up of peer support systems and the training of peer support volunteers.
2. Implementation of aviation-specific mental health awareness and promotion programmes.
3. Creation of customised identification, treatment, rehabilitation and return-to-work programmes for substance misuse conditions, such as alcohol.
4. Conduct of targeted research to enhance understanding of workplace factors affecting mental health of aviation professionals, such as shift work, work hours and social factors.
    

The new Collaboration Agreement builds on existing partnerships between CAAS and CGH. In 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between CAAS and CGH to explore establishing an aviation and occupational specialist centre and implementing programmes for aviation personnel. Following the signing of the MOU in 2018, CAAS and CGH  jointly launched the Changi Aviation Medicine Centre in 2019, the first such centre established in a public hospital, to provide clinical care for aviation professionals. In 2020, CAAS and CGH jointly set up the Civil Aviation Medical Examination Centre to provide aviation licence holders with medical certificatory examinations, fitness evaluations, and aeromedical reviews. 
 

Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General, CAAS, said, “Aviation professionals play a critical role in the success of the Singapore air hub. As air traffic grows, we want to support them better, including in mental health and wellness. The CAAS-CGH partnership allows us to identify and address their needs in a more targeted manner, taking into consideration their unique operating environment and the psychological demands of work in the aviation sector. It also leverages the trust and confidence we have built through the years with our unions and workers which are critical for the success of such efforts.” 
 

Clinical Professor Ng Kee Chong, Chief Executive Officer, CGH, said, "As Singapore's leading aviation medicine practitioner and a regional centre of excellence, CGH is committed to caring for and supporting the health and wellness of our aviation professionals. Our enhanced collaboration with CAAS marks another milestone in Singapore’s aviation medicine journey. With CGH’s established expertise in aviation and psychological medicine and CAAS’ insights on the aviation environment, we can develop targeted mental health and wellness programmes that address the unique challenges, improve mental resilience, and contribute to the wellbeing of aviation personnel and overall safety of Singapore's aviation sector."

[PHOTO OF AGREEMENT SIGNING]

Mr. Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS and Clinical Professor Ng Kee Chong, Chief Executive Officer of CGH signed the Agreement on 1 July 2025 to enhance mental health and wellness support for the aviation sector.