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1930s
1935
Ninety years of healthcare innovation was seeded atop a serene hill in Changi with the opening of the 150-bed Royal Air Force Hospital. The hospital was built as part of upgrades for the British naval base to serve service personnel.
1940s
1942
When the base became a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, the hospital was moved to Robert Barracks, where Changi Air Base (West) stands today. The barracks were rapidly converted into a massive sick bay. One building housed an operating theatre; another was turned into an isolation wing for diphtheria cases; a dysentery wing occupied two blocks; while a temporary building served as a mortuary.
1950s
After the war, the hospital returned to its original location in Changi. The hospital expanded to serve all the Royal Air Force stations in Singapore, growing alongside Singapore’s resurgence.
1970s
1971
After Singapore’s independence, the hospital went through a series of name
changes under different administrations. First, it became known as the ANZUK (Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom) Hospital under the newly formed Commonwealth, then it was renamed the UK Military Hospital.
1975
A hundred metres away, the Changi Chalet Hospital, repurposed from a British Officer’s Club, began operations. The hospital provided emergency services
to holiday makers while offering X-ray and laboratory services to patients of Changi Prison Hospital and the polyclinics on Pulau Tekong and Pulau Ubin.
As the last British troops departed from the region, the UK Military Hospital was handed over to the Singapore government and renamed the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Hospital. Initially providing free
healthcare to SAF personnel and their families, the hospital gradually extended its services to the public, marking its first foray beyond a military function.
1976
The SAF Hospital was combined with the
Changi Chalet Hospital to form Changi Hospital, and handed over to the Ministry of Health on 1 July. On a foundation
of compassion and community spirit strengthened through past challenges, Changi Hospital built its capabilities and blossomed in its role in public service.
1950s
1959
Thomson Road Hospital opened with one ward, two doctors and seven
nursing staff. The modest hospital, originally planned to accommodate
spillover patients from the Sepoy Lines General Hospital, grew into an
institution renowned for postgraduate training and clinical research.
1960s
Thomson Road Hospital’s pioneering spirit shone through in its research endeavours from early on. It introduced Singapore’s first flexible gastroscopy procedure and uncovered the presence of tropical sprue. As more patients sought care at Thomson Road Hospital, the facility grew to meet these mounting needs. Neurosurgery was the first to be added to its suite of services, followed by obstetrics and gynaecology. Thomson Road Hospital became an education destination for aspiring medical professionals from Singapore and abroad.
1965
Thomson Road Hospital further established its School of Nursing for Pupil Assistant Nurses, formalising the training pathway for future generations of nurses.
1968
The hospital earned a new name, Thomson Road General Hospital, reflecting its evolution into a comprehensive acute care facility serving Singapore’s diverse medical needs.
1970s
Thomson Road General Hospital became the first in Singapore to introduce B2 class wards – a pilot project that prioritised patient privacy and comfort. It set new standards for patient care by operating around the clock with 24-hour X-ray and Accident & Emergency services, and introduced new clinical specialties such as neonatology and orthopaedic surgery. During this decade, doctors continued to be involved in research in the areas of lactose intolerance, gastro-intestinal bleeding and peptic ulcer.
1975
As the surrounding landscape transformed into the bustling satellite town of Toa Payoh, the hospital was renamed Toa Payoh Hospital to reflect its strong community ties.
1980s
The 1980s were characterised by rapid growth and expansion.
Facilities were modernised with air conditioning, computerised systems and refurbished operating theatres. By this time, it was also serving residents from Ang Mo Kio, Yishun and Bishan, making it one of Singapore’s busiest hospitals.
To be able to provide better care for patients, the search began for suitable grounds to build a more spacious facility.
1985
The hospital began concentrating on two key specialisations – urology and gastroenterology.
1990s
Corporatisation gave Toa Payoh Hospital a fresh identity – a new logo and a heartfelt mission statement – and a pledge to encourage staff to strive to provide care good enough for their own mothers, without any special treatment needed.
1994
As Toa Payoh Hospital continued to grow, it welcomed new specialties – ear, nose and throat in 1994, and eye services two years later.
1990s
1997
By February 1997, the familiar doors of Toa Payoh Hospital and old Changi Hospital closed for the last time. Their stories, steeped in decades of innovation and care, merged to form a new chapter in Simei.
1998
On 28 March 1998, then-Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong officially opened Changi General Hospital (CGH). More than a ribbon-cutting, the ceremony marked a new promise to the 750,000 residents in the east.
From its early days, CGH’s wide range of specialty branches such as rehabilitation medicine, psychiatric medicine, geriatric medicine, respiratory medicine, renal medicine and sports medicine took root.
Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
1990s
The new millennium saw CGH continue to evolve to meet the diverse needs of Singapore’s changing population. The hospital embarked on a mission to integrate care and empower patients by providing comprehensive, specialised care under one roof.
2004
For the senior population, this vision materialised in the form of a new Geriatric Centre, combining specialist clinics and a day hospital to make
healthcare more accessible. Sports medicine found a new home in CGH,
with the establishment of Singapore’s largest multidisciplinary sports centre,
catering to both recreational and competitive athletes alike.
The hospital also expanded its expertise into new territories, introducing
services in dermatology, psychological medicine, rheumatology and
neurosurgery.
2010s
CGH began the acquisition of the Singapore Sports Medicine Centre in 2010, demonstrating the hospital’s commitment to sports medicine excellence. It also became a founding member of the Eastern Health Alliance, a regional health system, to provide seamless, quality care for eastern Singapore, marking a decade of bold expansion and innovation.
2012
CGH’s vision extended beyond traditional
hospital care. Innovation became a hallmark of the hospital’s development, with the launch of both the Centre for Innovation for healthcare technology translation; and the Changi Simulation Institute, an integrated simulation training centre for healthcare professionals.
2018
As the decade drew to a close, CGH joined the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic
Medical Centre family as part of the nation’s healthcare system reorganisation
into three integrated clusters to better meet Singaporeans’ future needs. This
period of transformation saw CGH open its new Medical Centre, enhancing
outpatient specialist care for complex medical conditions.
2019
CGH established Singapore’s first aviation medicine centre within a government
restructured hospital, providing tailored care for aviation professionals. The Civil
Aviation Medical Examination Centre was set up a year later in Changi Airport,
offering improved medical support to aviation license holders.
The hospital also launched a series of community-based programmes, such as GPFirst and CareLine for vulnerable seniors, to right-site patients and ensure continuity of care. Notably, the close partnership between CGH and St. Andrew’s Community Hospital gave birth to the Integrated Building in 2015, introducing a new model of rehabilitation care with a seamless, person-centred care approach.
2020s
The 2020s propelled CGH into the future. The hospital weaved together technology, specialised healthcare and community wellness into a tapestry of comprehensive healthcare excellence.
2021
The hospital established the Shimadzu-CGH Clinomics Centre to enable personalised treatment
of hypertension and other chronic diseases through advanced mass spectrometry and AI-assisted testing, and opened the multidisciplinary Wound Healing Centre to provide comprehensive care of
chronic wounds.
CGH also made inroads in occupational health, formalising a partnership with Changi Airport Group to drive health and wellness for the airport community, and launching the Performing Arts Medicine Clinic to address the health needs of performing artists.
2022
CGH collaborated with CapitaLand Investment and KONE to advance the integration of robotics in buildings. The testbeds for the integration of multifunctional robots and building infrastructure with local and
international industry players were guided by a new national standard, the Technical Reference 93. This was in line with CGH’s efforts as a smart hospital.
2023
CGH celebrated its 88th anniversary with a series
of landmark events. This included the unveiling of the largest community mural in Singapore that
symbolised the collective strength and efforts of CGH and its valued partners and volunteers. CGH and
South East Community Development Council also commemorated a decade of the Neighbours for Active
Living Programme, which provided long-standing community care.
The hospital introduced robots to augment the care team at the Emergency Department, and pioneered the Pharmacy Smart Interface System (PharmaSIS), Singapore’s first smart vending machine for pharmacy-only medicines.
2024
Reflecting the hospital’s vision as Your Trusted Care Partner, Innovating
Healthcare for Tomorrow, CGH enhanced its clinical services. It launched the
CGH-NNI Integrated Spine Centre, established a comprehensive lymphoedema
service, and collaborated with partners including SMRT and the RSAF to
improve workplace health and professional development respectively.
CGH unveiled the Alice Lee Innovation Centre of Excellence (A.L.I.C.E)@
CGH Campus to further improve patient outcomes through evidence-based
practices and the development of smart and innovative solutions.
2025
CGH commemorates 90 years of care innovation
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