{"id":32165,"date":"2025-11-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uat.tzuchi.org.sg\/?p=32165"},"modified":"2026-01-07T03:45:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T03:45:52","slug":"20251121","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uat.tzuchi.org.sg\/zh-hans\/20251121\/","title":{"rendered":"\u6797\u6587\u8c6a\u533b\u5e08\uff1a\u5728\u6cbb\u7597\u65e0\u6548\u65f6\uff0c\u575a\u5b88\u533b\u8005\u7684\u6148\u60b2\u4e0e\u5173\u6000"},"content":{"rendered":"

Illness and poverty are like twins, Master Cheng Yen once said. Many fall ill because of poverty, and even the wealthy may face financial hardship when they come down with an illness. It was this realisation that compelled her to set up the Buddhist Tzu Chi Hospital in Taiwan, which today stands as a beacon of hope for those who require access to healthcare. Guided by a similar aspiration to bridge unmet healthcare needs, Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore) has been revving up its efforts and initiatives under its Mission of Medicine.<\/p>\n

From a single Free Clinic in Chinatown, today its services run the gamut, from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and western medicine to palliative care, renal dialysis care to active ageing and free dental care.<\/p>\n

One man instrumental in establishing this intricate healthcare ecosystem is Dr Edwin Lim Boon Howe, who has dedicated over 20 years of his life to upholding Tzu Chi\u2019s Mission of Medicine. Of Christian faith, he was introduced to Tzu Chi by his wife, who went on her own spiritual journey and ultimately embraced Buddhism.<\/p>\n

Dr Edwin wears multiple hats at Tzu Chi. As Medical Consultant at the Lakeside Family Medicine Clinic (LFMC), he often begins his day walking the ground, interacting with walk-in patients and staff, occasionally providing consult to patients with prior appointments, or attending to the complex social needs of other patients. When the LFMC was first awarded to Tzu Chi in 2016 under a collaboration with Jurong Health Services Pte Ltd, he drafted the open tender submission, and then oversaw its renovation and established its systems and operations.<\/p>\n

Beyond his clinical duties, his decades of experience underpin his ability to identify healthcare gaps in Singapore. In his capacity as Head of Medical Services, Dr Edwin often secures government funding and establish facilities that address these gaps. The running of the Foundation\u2019s health-related facilities \u2014 namely SEEN, Food Farmacy, Renal Dialysis Centre, Community Dental Centre, Buddhist Tzu Chi TCM Free Clinics, Home Care and Palliative Care Services and LFMC \u2014 falls under his purview.<\/p>\n

Yet Dr Edwin\u2019s relationship with Tzu Chi began long before he assumed these full-time roles. He first joined as a volunteer doctor under the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA), embarking on overseas medical missions to Bintan and Batam to provide medical aid to rural communities. When Tzu Chi launched its first Free Clinic in 2004 in Chinatown, he served as one of the volunteer resident doctors. That clinic played a pivotal role in supporting the Government\u2019s efforts to bring flu vaccinations to the masses and regularly set up a health screening presence at neighbourhood community centres.<\/p>\n

As Tzu Chi’s medical services expanded, Dr Edwin became even more intimately involved with the Foundation. He recalled, \u201cAt the Tzu Chi Free Health Screening Centre which opened in 2010, nurses would perform the initial screening tests. I would come in on Saturdays to read the results and write the diagnoses.\u201d Dr Edwin eventually transitioned from volunteer to staff member in May 2011.<\/p>\n

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Finding his purpose in life<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before joining Tzu Chi,\u00a0Dr Edwin was a highflyer living a dream many Singaporeans idealise. He helmed his own private practice as a General Practitioner (GP). With his innate kindness, compassion, gratitude, and integrity, he quickly endeared himself to his patients, who became loyal to him. \u201cI journeyed with my patients as they grew up and started their own families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the enviable income and autonomy of being his own boss, something felt amiss. Healthcare is often reactive, with patients consulting a GP only when they fall sick. As a result, GPs rarely have the opportunity to be part of a patient\u2019s overall wellness journey. \u201cThe doctor\u2013patient interactions often felt rushed and transactional.\u00a0 I felt there should be more to life. I could not imagine myself cooped up in a small clinic for decades until I grew old. I thought, \u2018There must be something more I can do, something on a bigger scale.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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2025 marks 21 years of Dr Edwin\u2019s dedicated service with Tzu Chi.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

As such, with his longer-term career prospects still nebulous, he relinquished his private practice and undertook locum work. A stint at Orange Valley Nursing Home\u00a0turned into a full-time opportunity, and as Medical Director, he was a key person in expanding its presence from two to six branches. \u201cDuring this time, I learnt that cheerfulness, smiles and kindness were the best way to win the residents\u2019 hearts and get their cooperation. Making their day also made my day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then came the opportunity to head Tzu Chi\u2019s medical services, and Dr Edwin took it up, defying conventional pursuits of wealth. \u201cOne lasting impression I have is his decision to leave a promising and potentially lucrative private medical career to serve full-time in Tzu Chi \u2014 a charity organisation that could not offer comparable financial rewards,\u201d said Dr Eugene Tang, lead of TIMA’s dental team and fellow veteran TIMA volunteer. \u201cThat single act spoke volumes about his values and sense of purpose. It wasn\u2019t a grand announcement, just a quiet transition made with deep conviction. He continues to serve in this capacity to this day, leading by example and never seeking the spotlight.\u201d<\/p>\n

While indeed there are sacrifices, Dr Edwin has weighed them against the rewards to working in an NGO. Singapore\u2019s medical infrastructure may be world class, but there remain gaps. \u201cVulnerable seniors and seniors with special needs have always been at the forefront of my concerns. My former private clinic at Sims Drive was frequented by many elderly folks, and the first Tzu Chi Free Clinic in Chinatown catered mainly to disadvantaged seniors. They often shared that, while their medical needs were capably managed at other centres, they longed to be better heard and supported in coping with chronic illnesses and disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, his time as a TIMA volunteer opened his eyes to the concept of humanistic healthcare. Whereas in the private sector he would be bound by key performance indicators such as efficiency and profit margins, working in an NGO allows Dr Edwin and his team to devote their time and resources to a single patient, prioritising the full restore of his health while managing factors such as cost effectiveness and productivity.<\/p>\n

Such a set-up allows them to sow a culture of compassionate relief on top of clinical relief, tactfully layering on intangibles such as psycho-socio-spiritual support through counselling, activities, and befriending. By harnessing the collective benevolence of the medical team and volunteers, compassion becomes an organised and tangible part of patient care.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018To cure sometimes, to relieve often, but to comfort always\u2019 \u2014 that is the Hippocratic oath we physicians take. Incidentally, it echoes Tzu Chi\u2019s Mission of Medicine of \u2018Heal the person, heal the sickness, and heal the heart\u2019. One of the main reasons that sealed my decision to join Tzu Chi was because I identified deeply with its humanistic approach to medical care. This was a chance for me to scaffold a platform where like-minded healthcare professionals can manifest, embrace and influence this culture, as well as for more needy seniors to experience it.\u201d<\/p>\n