Paul Tambyah

Paul Anantharajah Tambyah (born 5 February 1965), is a Singaporean doctor and professor of infectious diseases, a politician, and a writer. He is President of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection and also President of the International Society for Infectious Diseases. He is also the Chairman of the Singapore Democratic Party, a position he has held since September 2017.

Paul Tambyah
Tambyah at a Singapore Democratic Party rally during the 2015 general election
Chairman of the Singapore Democratic Party
Assumed office
26 September 2017
Preceded byWong Souk Yee
Secretary-GeneralChee Soon Juan
Personal details
Born
Paul Anantharajah Tambyah

(1965-02-05) 5 February 1965
State of Singapore, Malaysia
NationalitySingaporean
Political partySingapore Democratic Party (2011–⁠present)
Spouse
Siok Kuan Tambyah
​
(m. 1991)​
Parents
ResidenceSingapore
EducationBachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
Alma materNational University of Singapore
University of Wisconsin
OccupationInfectious Diseases Expert
ProfessionPhysician
WebsitePaul Tambyah on Facebook
Medical career
FieldMedicine
InstitutionsNational University Hospital
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Sub-specialtiesInfectious disease
ResearchInfluenza
Dengue
CAUTI
COVID-19

Early life and education

Born in Singapore to the endocrinologist Dr John Tambyah[1] and social worker Leaena Chelliah on 5 February 1965,[2] Tambyah learned Mandarin as a second language in Saint Andrew's School. He later attended Raffles Institution in 1981.[3]

Tambyah graduated from the National University of Singapore with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery to become a doctor in 1988.[4]

In 1991, Tambyah married Dr Siok Kuan, a senior lecturer of marketing from NUS Business School.[5]

Tambyah did his postgraduate training in Infectious disease under Dr Dennis G. Maki at the University of Wisconsin and graduated in 1999.[6]

Career

Medical career

After completing his training in Wisconsin, he returned to Singapore as the first and only infectious diseases consultant at National University Hospital. In 2000 he became one of the committee members of the Action for AIDS Singapore, the only HIV/AIDS agency in Singapore first founded in 1988.[7] In 2001 Tambyah became an associate Professor of Medicine.

During the SARS outbreak in 2003, Tambyah helped establish the NUH Division of Infectious Diseases, with Professor Dale Fisher and trainee Dr Louis Chai joined in December 2004. Since then, the Division has grown and currently includes 13 consultants, a resident physician and 2 senior residents.[8]

Reunion of Singapore medical staff (from left: Dale Fisher, Paul Tambyah) on the 10th Anniversary of the SARS outbreak in Singapore in 2013.

In 2011, Tambyah became the President of the Asia-Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, and led the Singapore Society of Infectious Diseases from 2011 to 2015.[9] Tambyah became a full professor on 5 July 2013.[10]

Tambyah became the assistant Dean of Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore in 2015.[11] In June 2020, he became a president-elect of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, set to become the first Singaporean to hold the position and was expected to start his term in 2022.[12]

On 6 December 2020, Tambyah received a Red Ribbon Award by Action for AIDS Singapore for his contributions to HIV-related causes.[13]

On 5 October 2021, Tambyah was recognised as one of the four eminent senior clinicians to receive the Distinguished Senior Clinician Award as conferred by the Ministry of Health in Singapore.[14]

On 20 December 2022, Tambyah became the new President of the International Society of Infectious Diseases Executive Committee, replacing Alison Holmes who would currently serve as its immediate past-President.[15] This eventually fulfilled the two-year speculation as he has become the first Singaporean President of the International Society of Infectious Diseases.

Tambyah was the recipient of the Commendation Medal (COVID-19) and the COVID-19 Resilience Medal[16] of the National Awards (COVID-19) awarded by the Prime Minister's Office to individuals and teams in recognition of their public spirit and contributions to Singapore's fight during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore for over two years.[17]

Activism

Tambyah was noted to be one of the founding members of MARUAH Singapore, a human rights organization which was founded in 2007 in Singapore. Due to the limitations of civil society activism, he eventually left the organization to join politics.[18]

Political career
Tambyah at a Singapore Democratic Party rally during the 2015 general election

Tambyah started getting involved with the Singapore Democratic Party in 2010 and spoke as a guest speaker at the SDP rallies during the 2011 Singaporean general election. He was one of the two potential candidates with party treasurer Vincent Wijeysingha for the 2013 Punggol East by-election in January 2013, before the party announced its decision not to contest and backed the Workers' Party's Lee Li Lian to compete against the People's Action Party's Dr Koh Poh Koon.[19]

Tambyah became a member of the SDP's Healthcare Advisory Panel in July 2013.[20] In 2015, he was fielded as a political candidate as part of the SDP team along with Dr Chee Soon Juan, Sidek Mallek and Chong Wai Fung and contested against PAP's Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Sim Ann, Liang Eng Hwa, and Christopher de Souza for the Holland–Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the 2015 Singaporean general election.

On 26 September 2017, he was elected as Chairman by the CEC members during the Singapore Democratic Party 18th Ordinary Party Conference, replacing Wong Souk Yee.[21][22]

On 30 June 2020, Tambyah was fielded as a SDP candidate against PAP's Liang Eng Hwa for the Bukit Panjang Single Member Constituency during the 2020 Singaporean general election.[23]

References
  1. "Honouring a dedicated physician and family man". medicine.nus.edu.sg. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  2. "Policies, politics and paranoia: Singapore Democratic Party chairman Paul Tambyah goes On the Record". Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  3. "'SDP's Paul Tambyah's thoughts on Chee Soon Juan and the Covid-19 situation | 20 Answers With…'". Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  4. "TAMBYAH Paul Anantharajah". medicine.nus.edu.sg. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  5. "'Will be remiss if we do not speak up'". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  6. "Dr. Paul Tambyah, President-Elect, International Society of Infectious Diseases". PCMA Convening Leaders. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  7. "The Team". Action for AIDS Singapore. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  8. "Infectious Diseases". www.nuh.com.sg. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  9. "Find A Doctor - NUH | National University Hospital". www.nuh.com.sg. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  10. Democrats, Singapore (5 July 2013). "Congratulations to Paul Tambyah". yoursdp.org. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  11. "Local researchers test asthma drug on dengue patients". TODAYonline. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  12. "Paul Tambyah to become first S'porean to head International Society of Infectious Diseases". TODAYonline. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  13. Stolarchuk, Jewel (6 December 2020). "Paul Tambyah wins Red Ribbon Award for his contributions to HIV-related causes". The Independent Singapore News. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  14. "Distinguished Senior Clinician Award (DSCA) - NUHS". www.nuhs.edu.sg. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  15. Nguyen, ISID] Kathy (20 December 2022). "ISID welcomes Paul Tambyah as the new Society's President". ISID. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  16. "National Awards (COVID-19)". www.pmo.gov.sg. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  17. siti_aishah_sulaiman (29 December 2022). "PMO | National Awards (COVID-19)". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  18. "Doctor, Prof, NSMan: Mothership.sg Q&A with SDP's Paul Tambyah". mothership.sg. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  19. migration (9 January 2013). "Punggol East by-election announced, Polling Day is Jan 26". The Straits Times. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  20. "Congratulations to Paul Tambyah". yoursdp.org. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  21. "Paul Tambyah elected new chairman of SDP". yoursdp.org. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  22. "SDP elects Professor Paul Tambyah as new chairman". CNA. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  23. Yong, Clement (30 June 2020). "Singapore GE2020: SDP fields chairman Paul Tambyah in Bukit Panjang SMC, faces PAP's Liang Eng Hwa". The Straits Times. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
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