NAF Founding Members /
Previous Leaders

Dr Tay Chong Hai was appointed consultant physician to the Singapore General Hospital in 1971 and subsequently headed the Department of Medicine at Changi Hospital. Since 1978, he has been in private practice as a consultant physician and rheumatologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, Mount Alvernia Hospital and East Shore Hospital in Singapore. He founded the Society of Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology and, to date, has authored over 120 articles in peer-reviewed journals.

A pioneer in rheumatology in Singapore, Dr Tay is the Founding Chairman of the Singapore National Arthritis Foundation in 1984.

He obtained his M.B.B.S. at the University of Malaya in Singapore and proceeded to England for further studies. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Glasgow and also a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Dr Tay was conferred the Life Fellowship of the American Academy of Dermatology in 1998.

Dr Chew Chin Hin was senior physician and head of medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital from 1965 to 1979 and also its medical director. He served as the Deputy Director of Medical Services Ministry of Health from 1981 to 1991. He helped to break the stranglehold of tuberculosis (TB) in Singapore and initiated the Advance Medical Directive (AMD) or living will.

After retirement in 1991, he became the adjunct Professor of Medicine and honorary advisor at the Division of Graduate Medical Studies National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. He is also an Adviser to the National Arthritis Foundation.

Dr Chew graduated from the University of Hong Kong with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBMS). He was conferred the prestigious Mastership in the American College of Physicians (MACP) on 22 April 2010 - the first and only Singaporean honoured. He was also bestowed the Public Administration medal, gold (PPA(E) in 1983 by the President of Singapore.

Dr S Vasoo is Chairman of the Ee Peng Liang Memorial Fund Committee and Associate Professorial Fellow in the Department of Social Work, National University of Singapore. He was previously Head of Department of Social Work and Psychology at National University of Singapore from 1987 to 1999, and later Associate Professorial Fellow from 2006 to 2010. He was Member of Parliament from 1984 to 2001 and also served as Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Community Development.

Dr Vasoo has been involved in providing leadership to National Arthritis Foundation from 2000 to 2017, when he retired as the President of the NAF council. In recognition for his outstanding contributions in Singapore, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2006 as well as being conferred an Honorary Life Member of the Singapore Association of Social Workers.

He obtained his Doctorate and Master of Social Work from the University of Hong Kong and holds a Diploma in Social Studies, with distinction, from the University of Singapore.

From 1991 till his retirement in 2017, Mr Michael Wong was a Director and General Manager at Triangle Auto Pte Ltd, the sole distributor of Isuzu commercial vehicles. His has vast experience in the motor vehicle trade, having worked for over 45 years in the industry, starting off in technical positions and finally culminating in leadership roles.

He held the position of Deputy Chairman and Chairman at Institute of Technical Education’s (ITE) Advisory Committee from 2002 to 2010. Mr Wong was also President of the Motor Traders Association for 6 years. He served as a member of the Council at NAF for 11 years from 2005, and subsequently became President of the Council from 2017 to 2018.

Mr Wong has a diploma in Mechanical Engineering and a diploma in Management Science, plus a Master in Business Administration from Brunel University, UK.