SINGAPORE, 31 August 2024 – In conjunction with Nurses’ Day this August and as a gesture of appreciation and support for nurses, SMRT Corporation (SMRT) will distribute 46,000 specially designed SMRT-branded prepaid EZ-Link cards to nurses across Singapore. This initiative aims to thank them for their tireless dedication.

The EZ-Link cards, valued at approximately $700,000, are funded by cost savings achieved through SMRT’s Kaizen initiative. This initiative empowers employees to take personal ownership of their work, enhancing their daily workflows and methods to achieve greater productivity and safety standards.

This effort is part of a strategic partnership between SMRT and MOH Holdings (MOHH), announced today at Bayfront MRT station in the presence of Guest-of-Honour, Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health. The partnership recognises and appreciates healthcare professionals for their unwavering dedication to patient care, and their invaluable contributions to Singapore’s healthcare ecosystem.

The partnership was formalised through the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mr Ngien Hoon Ping, Group Chief Executive Officer, SMRT Corporation; and Mr Anthony Tan, Chief Executive Officer, MOH Holdings. Witnessing the exchange were Minister Ong, Mr Seah Moon Ming, Chairman SMRT Corporation, and Ms Lai Wei Lin, Chairperson MOHH. The ceremony was followed by a musical performance from Silver Singalong, a volunteer singing group of seniors dedicated to bringing joy to the community through music. Since their founding in December 2022, Silver Singalong has performed for patients at hospitals and nursing homes across Singapore.

Mr Ngien Hoon Ping, Group Chief Executive Officer, SMRT Corporation, said, “At SMRT, we are committed to Doing Right, Doing Good, and Doing Well for our commuters and the communities we serve. We see parallels between the healthcare and public transport sectors – both are frontline professions. We are pleased to be able to support the healthcare sector in a practical way, especially during challenging times. We hope this initiative will inspire more Singaporeans to contribute to their communities and foster greater social cohesion.”

Mr Anthony Tan, Chief Executive Officer, MOHH, said: “MOHH is delighted to partner SMRT Corporation to recognise and appreciate the invaluable contributions of our healthcare workers. Through this partnership, we will leverage on SMRT's extensive network of media solutions to expand the reach of our Care to Go Beyond campaign. Besides encouraging Singaporeans to appreciate the contribution of healthcare workers, we also hope to raise the awareness of healthcare as a meaningful and fulfilling career among students and job seekers.”

Through the Care to Go Beyond campaign, the public can learn more about the work of healthcare professionals in Singapore, and the profound impact they have in transforming lives. The partnership will enable MOHH to implement creative out-of-home, digital, and on-ground campaign activations within SMRT stations and mall premises, providing additional avenues to extend the campaign’s reach and to spark public interest in career opportunities within the healthcare sector.

The partnership between SMRT and MOHH also serves as a rallying call to encourage communities and businesses to come forward to show their appreciation for our healthcare workers.

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