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SINGAPORE: The president of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), Koh Poh Tiong, will step down at the end of this month after having held the position for eight years, the organization said on Tuesday (October 20).
Singtel International Group Chief Executive Officer Arthur Lang, who joined NKF as a director of the board in 2015, will take over.
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve our patients at NKF for the past eight and a half years,” Koh said in a statement.
“I feel extremely blessed to have been able to work closely with a strong and competent board of diverse talents and an excellent management team,” he said.
He also expressed confidence in his successor, saying that Lang “will help preserve the strong foundation of the NKF and push it to greater heights to benefit our kidney patients.
“Above all, I know that he will succeed because he is a caring man blessed with an intense compassion for the sick and the poor among us. Let’s give him the support that he has so generously given me, ”he said.
SUSTAINABLE FINANCE MODEL, PATIENT-CENTERED INITIATIVES DURING THE MR KOH PERIOD
In a press release, the NKF paid tribute to Mr. Koh for his “indefatigable spirit of compassion and forward-thinking in leading the NKF through the 50-year mark and positioning it in a good position for the future to serve. to poor and needy kidney patients in Singapore. ”.
Mr. Koh “has made a notable contribution to shaping and strengthening corporate governance, transparency and accountability policies” during his tenure at the NKF, he said.
“He believes that good corporate governance requires a thorough review and an openness to accept the necessary changes in the way the foundation used to do things, including breaking long-established habits.”
The NKF added that Mr. Koh “cares deeply for poor and sick patients” and believes that no one should be denied access to dialysis in Singapore due to financial constraints.
“He focused on ensuring a sustainable funding model to keep dialysis accessible and available to all who need it,” he said, adding that the foundation has “invested immeasurably” in building infrastructure and capacity to care for kidney patients. needy close to their homes.
NKF now has 38 community dialysis centers, up from 25 in 2012, with two more in the works.
Other initiatives introduced during Koh’s leadership include nocturnal dialysis for patients requiring longer hours of treatment, an alternative form of dialysis called hemodiafiltration, and a support program for peritoneal dialysis patients and their caregivers.
In addition, it enhanced the Living Kidney Donor Support Fund to ensure that “cost is not a barrier to a potential kidney donor,” and increased efforts to promote better kidney health and disease prevention.
“DEEP AND DURABLE PRINT”
Mr. Lang said that Mr. Koh “made immense contributions to the foundation and left a deep and lasting impression on all the people he worked with.”
“We are forever grateful for his stoic leadership and the foundation he laid, which will serve as a catalyst to move forward and do even more in our vital mission to alleviate misery and save lives.
“The needs of our patients are many and NKF will continue to do everything possible to extend care to all who need it. I feel deeply privileged to take on this role and continue to serve with my fellow board members, as well as with the volunteers and the NKF team. ”
Currently, NKF serves more than 4,800 kidney patients and beneficiaries.
