Former senior minister of state for health and manpower Koh Poh Koon has announced his return to healthcare as a surgeon after stepping down from his political office position. He thanked his colleagues for their camaraderie throughout the years and expressed hope to support the healthcare needs of Singaporeans in his new role.
Former senior minister of state for health and manpower Koh Poh Koon announced his return to healthcare as a surgeon on Tuesday , stepping down from his political office position.
The announcement was part of his farewell post to his former colleagues at the Ministry of Health on Facebook on Tuesday evening. The 54-year-old thanked his associates for a farewell lunch they organised and their camaraderie throughout the years.
"As I leave MOH and go back to healthcare as a surgeon, I hope our paths will cross again as we work to support the healthcare needs of Singaporeans," said Dr Koh. He told the Straits Times that he would like to return to doing clinical work, but has not decided on the details such as when and where he will rejoin the practice.
The colorectal surgeon's update comes after an earlier announcement made on May 22 by the Prime Minister's Office about his resignation from office. In a Facebook post, Dr Koh explained in a video that his decision stemmed from wanting to spend more time with his family. Dr Koh admitted that he had placed "the needs of Singapore and constituents above family" since stepping into politics in 2015.
He acknowledged that he had been an absent husband, father and soon for too long and wanted to give his family his attention "in a way that is not compatible with the demands of political office". He made his debut into politics during the 2013 Punggol East SMC by-election as a People's Action Party candidate, losing to Worker's Party's Lee Li Lian.
He then made his comeback in the 2015 general election where he contested in Ang Mo Kio GRC as part of a six-member PAP slate led by then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He assumed political office later in 2016 and continued to win seats in Tampines GRC in the 2020 and 2025 general elections. Prior to entering politics, Dr Koh was the founding director of the Colorectal Cancer Genomic Health Service at the Singapore General Hospital.
He was a consultant colorectal surgeon for his private practice, Capstone Colorectal Surgery Centre, at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre till 2015. He was also a visiting consultant surgeon at Singapore General Hospital until 2021 and recently become one again at Changi General Hospital since October 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile.
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